FEASIBILITY STUDY OF A PROPOSED MERGER BETWEEN THE EVANGELICAL SEMINARY OF SOUTHERN AFRICA AND THE UNION BIBLE INSTITUTE BY

The educational reforms implemented by the Department of Education during the last decade have resulted in a number of high profile public university mergers taking place in South Africa. The private higher education sector has simultaneously been significantly restructured by new educational legislation, to such an extent that a numerous private providers have been forced to cease operations due to the onerous requirements of the new laws. In this context, private higher education institutions are increasingly being compelled to consider alternative strategic options in order to continue to operate as viable entities. This study examined two private theological higher education institutions operating in Pietennaritzburg, South Africa, and considered whether a merger of the two organisations would be advantageous in light ofthe pressures being faced by the institutions. The objectives of the study were to assess first, whether a merger of the two institutions would be feasible and second, whether it would be desirable. The study reviewed the literature relating to various fonns of organisational co-operation, focusing particularly on mergers. The benefits associated with mergers were highlighted as well as the major causes of the extraordinarily high merger failure rate experienced i