Network integration for international mergers and Acquisitions

Business activities are increasingly taking place across geographical and ownership boundaries. Post-Merger & Acquisition Integration (PMI) processes are more challenging in network organisations due to the extra complexity and interdependency associated with networks. However, network integration issues are not well addressed in the traditional M&A literature or the network organisation literature. Based on ten in-depth case studies across key industry sectors, this research identifies the essential network integration issues for international M&As with a configuration concept, and demonstrates different network integration patterns according to M&A objectives for growth and efficiency. This paper extends the theoretical understanding of PMI for network organisations. It can also provide practical guidance for managers to assess the feasibility of an M&A transition or to go through the PMI process successfully. Copyright © 2010 Inderscience Enterprises Ltd.

Flows with Inertia in a Three-Dimensional Random Fiber Network

A fiber web is modeled as a three-dimensional random cylindrical fiber network. Nonlinear behavior of fluid flowing through the fiber network is numerically simulated by using the lattice Boltzmann (LB) method. A nonlinear relationship between the friction factor and the modified Reynolds number is clearly observed and analyzed by using the Fochheimer equation, which includes the quadratic term of velocity. We obtain a transition from linear to nonlinear region when the Reynolds numbers are sufficiently high, reflecting the inertial effect of the flows. The simulated permeability of such fiber network has relatively good agreement with the experimental results and finite element simulations.

The design of an agent for modelling supply chain network dynamics

A useful insight into managerial decision making can be found from simulation of business systems, but existing work on simulation of supply chain behaviour has largely considered non-competitive chains. Where competitive agents have been examined, they have generally had a simple structure and been used for fundamental examination of stability and equilibria rather than providing practical guidance to managers. In this paper, a new agent for the study of competitive supply chain network dynamics is proposed. The novel features of the agent include the ability to select between competing vendors, distribute orders preferentially among many customers, manage production and inventory, and determine price based on competitive behaviour. The structure of the agent is related to existing business models and sufficient details are provided to allow implementation. The agent is tested to demonstrate that it recreates the main results of the existing modelling and management literature on supply chain dynamics. A brief exploration of competitive dynamics is given to confirm that the proposed agent can respond to competition. The results demonstrate that overall profitability for a supply chain network is maximised when businesses operate collectively. It is possible for an individual business to achieve higher profits by adopting a more competitive stance, but the consequence of this is that the overall profitability of the network is reduced. The agent will be of use for a broad range of studies on the long-run effect of management decisions on their network of suppliers and customers.

Free-Space Interconnect for Optical Switch and Analogue Neural Network

In this paper, the architecture of a vector-matrix multiplier (MVM) is simulated. The optical design can be made compact by the use of GRIN lenses for the optical fan-in. The intended application area was in storage area networks (SANs) but the concept can be applied to a neural network. © 2011 Allerton Press, Inc.