Integrate or partner? An M&A analysis from the acquiree’s point of view

In March 2022 Sony and Honda signed a memorandum of understanding to establish a joint venture to develop an electric vehicle that would combine Honda’s car-building expertise with Sony’s skillset in imaging, sensors, communication, networking and entertainment technologies for the vehicle’s travel and service platform. Despite being a leading player in the automotive industry for decades, Honda had recently fallen behind its competitors in one crucial area – the development of EVs. Sony, while successful in image sensor and content IP, had also entered the EV market. Given the competitive landscape of EVs, it was not surprising, in view of the two giants’ complimentary expertise, that they decided to cooperate and establish Sony Honda Mobility. The newly formed joint venture had a bold purpose: “Move people, through the pursuit of innovation with diverse inspirations.” In January 2023 Sony Honda Mobility unveiled the world premiere of its prototype electric car − the Afeela – in Las Vegas at the Consumer Technology Association’s annual trade event, CES. With plans to hit the North American market in 2026, the Afeela was set to revolutionize the way people perceive electric mobility.

Family managers’ entrepreneurial intentions (EI) play a crucial role in the long-term success of family firms. Previous research has highlighted ed...

As baby-boomer CEOs retire, a new wave of leaders is taking over. These new CEOs are full of fresh ideas and perspectives. However, many inevitably...

When one of On’s co-founders stepped into the elevator at the brand new On Labs headquarters in Zurich, a fellow co-worker asked whether it was als...

Keep the “change hamburger” in mind as you steer through your transformation journey.

If we are to move away from a take-make-waste economic model, we need to showcase concrete examples of how organizations can create innovative busi...

Billionaire investor Warren Buffett has identified five Japanese trading houses that he believes will profit from an improving economic outlook and...

Traits such as overconfidence and narcissism, which may lead tech leaders to make bold decisions and take risks in the pursuit of growth, are dange...

The quantum era is arriving and organizations need to start thinking about encryption now, says Öykü Işık, Professor of Digital Strategy and Cybers...

This conceptual, multi-voiced paper aims to collectively explore and theorize family entrepreneuring, which is a research stream dedicated to inves...