Exploring the link between management communication and emotions in mergers and acquisitions

News on merger and acquisition (M&A) activities frequently dominate the popular business press. While the announcement of an M&A usually elicits enthusiasm in the business community, it also results in increased levels of uncertainty, stress, and anxiety for employees. Based on a qualitative analysis of four international M&A cases, this paper integrates emotions and communication during mergers and acquisitions in a conceptual framework. We argue that management communication and information flows during all stages of an M&A process represent affective events, which in a cognitive appraisal process trigger positive and negative emotions. These in turn may influence employee attitudes, behaviour, and performance, and ultimately also M&A success