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Mitchell Lee Marks. From Turmoil to Triumph: New Life After Mergers, Acquisitions, and Downsizing. New York: Lexington Books, 1994, 351 pages, $24.95.
Reviewed by Donald L. Harville, Personnel Research Psychologist, Human Resources Directorate, Armstrong Laboratory, Brooks AFB, TX.
This book is written mainly for individuals currently experiencing "MADness" (Mergers, Acquisitions, and Downsizings), or facing MADness soon. There are sections on organizational transition, recovery, and revitalization. For readers with theoretical backgrounds in organizational change, much of this material will be familiar, but the numerous examples will be very helpful to readers without this background.
In a well written explanation of MADness, the first section reports that fear of job loss following mergers or acquisitions is Worry #1 among executives, and Worry #2 is burnout. Because MADness causes employees to feel they are receiving less from their companies, they become fearful and cynical, and end up giving less to their companies. MADness is driven by global competition, government deregulation, technological change, and middle management cuts. Employees now have fewer assurances of promotions, which now require much more skill and experience. The healthy side of MADness is that unnecessary work and jobs are eliminated, and the organization may enhance teamwork while increasing productivity. Nevertheless, due to increased overtime and consulting costs, fewer than half of organizations meet their cost cutting targets by eliminating people without decreasing workload.
Successful organizational change must overcome hurdles such as resistance to change, demotivation of employees, and problems in communication. Unintended personal consequences of these transitions include illness, alienation, and acceptance that more work is required just to stay even. Employees become scared of making waves or taking risks. Just when innovation is most needed, employees do not change and continue doing what got the organization in trouble.
Due to high stress under MADness, employee performance often drops and behavior...