BUSS4: 6 Essential M&A Cases

In the run up to the BUSS4 exam in June 2012 we are providing a detailed briefing on an essential research case study for AQA students preparing for the Section A essays.

Whilst there are hundreds of potential case studies that students can use, we’ve selected these because they provide some excellent opporunities to gather research evidence in support of the six research bullets, and are also very good for use for comparing and contrasting.

The guidance from AQA is quite clear - students are expected to compare and contrast a number of different takeovers and mergers. This is a difficult skill to demonstrate effectively in an essay. So, at the conclusion of our series of five case studies, we’ll also provide some examples of how compare and contrast can be demonstrated using the deals.

We’ve selected case studies that are well developed in the sense that the strategic morives behind each deal are well documented as is the response of shareholders and other key stakeholder groups. There is also some good evidence for each about the likely success or failure of the takeover, although given that each case study is relatively recent, more evidence will emerge over time which might deminstrate a different perspective.

It’s a difficult choice. In our BUSS4 Section A Toolkit we’ve provided a substantial amount of information and teaching resources on a much wider choice of takeovers and mergers, any of which would be well worth students including in their research.

In my view, a selection of between 5-10 deals is about right for students who want to give themselves the best possible opportunity to use research evidence effectively in their chosen Section A essay.

The 6 Essential M&A cases we will include in this blog series are:

(1) The merger of British Airways and Iberia to form IAG and IAG’s subsequent takeover of BMI

(2) The takeover of Cadbury PLC by Kraft Foods Inc

(3) Tata Group’s takeover of Jaguar Land Rover

(4) News Corporation’s aborted takeover of BSkyB

(5) RBS’s takeover of ABN-Amro

(6) The takeover of Safeway by WM Morrison’s