This exploratory positivist case study uses multiple case design to examine the impacts of strategic alignment during the mergers and acquisitions (M&A) process and the implications for strategic formulation of successful M&A outcomes. According to alignment theory, for a firm to achieve M&A integration success, the business-IS strategies should be aligned during the M&A execution. However, our results indicate that successful, non-aligned M&A integrations can also occur, strongly supporting the emergent perspective of strategy formation in M&A integration as a valuable addition to the a priori formal planning view of strategy formation.
