Mergers & Acquisitions

1.Demonstrate the ability to form their views about M&A and make creatively strategicand analytically supportable recommendations regarding potential M&Atransactions.

2.Evaluate – present and defend opinions by making judgments about different M&Aand people management issues – these judgments will be made in terms ofevidence of best practices and criteria of the most successful M&As;

3.Demonstrate different negotiating techniques and bidding strategies;

4.Apply the blend of strategic and financial concepts relevant to M&As e.g.,commonly used takeover defences and tactics, techniques in deal valuation andfinancing;

5.Apply – use new knowledge on M&As, management of organisations and peoplemanagement to solve problems in new situations by applying acquired knowledge,techniques and principles.

AIMS OF THE MODULE:

The course aims to familiarise students with the various aspects of M&A so that they will be able to understand the role of M&A in the life of a corporation, how to apply valuation techniques learned elsewhere, to be familiar with the various techniques used in the different stages of a merger or an acquisition (including post-merger issues) and to understand the alternatives to M&A. This is a multidisciplinary course that takes general management and strategic approach to M&A, but necessarily incorporates the financial, organizational/individual behaviour and legal/regulatory aspects of M&A as well.

ASSIGNMENT DESCRIPTION:

The minor assessment is intended to evaluate analytic and technical skills according to the above-mentioned learning outcomes. The key to success in this assessment is to use critical reflective skills to research, analyse and evaluate the topics covered in the module by selecting the best M&A process and evidencing the best practices and criteria for the most successful Merger or Acquisition.

The individual assessment requires students to develop a case study examining Googles mergers and acquisitions (M&A) strategy. Google LLC is an American multinational technology company operating across information technology, online advertising, search engines, email services, cloud computing, software, quantum computing, e-commerce, consumer electronics, and artificial intelligence (AI). Widely regarded as one of the worlds most influential and valuable brands, Googlethrough its parent company Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ: GOOG)is recognized as a leading Big Tech organization.

As of Nov 2025, Google has completed 262 acquisitions investing more than $65 billion in its ten largest deals. Acquisition activity peaked in 2014 with 30 deals, followed by 28 deals in both 2011 and 2010. Googles acquisitions span 20 countries, with the majority located in the United States (201), Canada (15), and the United Kingdom (11). These transactions cover 128 sectors, with significant activity in Cybersecurity (19), Social Platforms (14), and AdTech (12). Between 2019 and 2024, Google averaged five acquisitions per year. In 2025, two acquisitions have already been completed, including the biggest-ever acquisition, a $32 billion deal to buy cloud security company Wiz.

Each student must select one acquisition from the Top 10 Deals List provided here (allocated on a first-come, first-served basis). The essential elements of the case study include providing in an essay form critical responses to the questions below including the firms backgrounds, lines of business, financial situation, and other relevant information based on the analysis of the information available on the firm’s sources and on the internet.

All parts:

Question 1: Strategic Rationale and Motives for the Acquisition:

a)Using the strategic approaches to mergers and acquisitions, critically discuss whatprimary motives (e.g., horizontal expansion, vertical integration, technologyacquisition, or diversification) best explain Googles decision to acquire the selectedcompany. (40% of the question mark)

b)Critically analyze how these motives support Googles long-term organizationalsurvival and competitive success? (60% of the question mark)

Question 2: M&A Process and Cross-Functional Integration Analysis:

a)Discuss how effectively did Google execute the stages of the M&A processtargetidentification, due diligence, valuation, negotiation, and integration (50% of thequestion mark)

b)Critically explain what cross-functional coordination was most critical to capturingvalue from the acquisition? (50% of the question mark)

Question 3: Deal Structure and Regulatory Considerations:

a)Describe how the deal structuring choices (friendly vs. hostile bid, asset vs. stockpurchase, integration level) shaped Googles approach to the selected acquisition(40% of the question mark)

b)Critically analyze how did regulatory requirements or antitrust scrutiny influence thetransactions design and execution? (60% of the question mark)

Question 4: Takeover Defences, Tactics, and Competitive Dynamics:

a)Explain to what extent did takeover defences (e.g., poison pills, white knightstrategies, staggered boards) or offensive tactics play a role in the selectedacquisition. (40% of the question mark)

b)Critically analyze what does this reveal about the competitive landscape andbargaining power between Google and the target firm? (60% of the questionmark)

STRUCTURE OF THE ASSIGNMENT:

COVER PAGE (not included in the word count): write your Matriculation number,title of the assignment, module name, lecturers name, date

TABLE OF CONTENTS (not included in the word count)

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY (not included in the word count) and INTRODUCTION*

BODY OF THE ASSIGNMENT*

CONCLUSION* (not included in the word count)

BIBLIOGRAPHY PAGE (not included in the word count)

*All sources must be cited as in-text citations in Harvard style.

The online library and Study, Research & Writing Skills documents are accessiblehere.

Harvard citations for in-text and bibliography page can be generated with Citethisformewebsite: https://www.citethisforme.com/harvard/source-type

GRADING: ASSESSED COMPONENT

Weighting

(as per mod. spec)

Date Due

Individual Written Work

80%

February 22nd 2026

Oral Component

20%

Week 6

MAKE POWER POINT PRESENTATION, THIS IS INCLUDED IN THE guidelines