商务案例分析(英文) P128及p178 案例分析答案.docxVIP

Case analysis:Chapter 5.What conditions and negotiations pushed forth the merger in 2006 that were not present in 2001?The case is a bit weak on providing details to answer this question. It might be assumed (as it is somewhat implied in the reading) that the French decided that they would be equal partners in the deal instead of simply acquiring the American firm. Another motive could have been that the two firms realized that a merger was in their best interests in order to be truly global. The merger extends the reach of the new firm and provides significant cost savings. 3). In some ways the statement is true. There are significant differences between French and American culture. At the same time, other French-American partnerships and mergers have been successful. One of the difficulties that the new company has experienced since the merger is resistance to lay-offs. When Alcatel-Lucent announced in early 2007 that it planned to reduce its workforce by 12,500, French unions and the French government took note. Workforce reduction in France may not be as easy as in the United States and the company has met with the European Works Council and the French government in an attempt to move ahead with its downsizing. Students can research the latest developments at the time of the case analysis. Other culture-based problems included appointing leaders based on their nationality rather than their skill set, and the resistance to having a woman run a male-dominated company in a male-dominated industry—although that not might be a problem in many countries and across many borders. On the positive side, Alcatel-Lucent operates in many countries, is used to international business issues, and has English as its internal language. 4) There is increased low-cost competition from Chinese firms, and internet technology is changing rapidly. In addition, demand has been weakening across the industry; “the telephone equipment industry is brutal and likely to see more attrition.”