This site uses cookies to improve your experience. To help us insure we adhere to various privacy regulations, please select your country/region of residence. If you do not select a country, we will assume you are from the United States. Select your Cookie Settings or view our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Cookie Settings
Cookies and similar technologies are used on this website for proper function of the website, for tracking performance analytics and for marketing purposes. We and some of our third-party providers may use cookie data for various purposes. Please review the cookie settings below and choose your preference.
Used for the proper function of the website
Used for monitoring website traffic and interactions
Cookie Settings
Cookies and similar technologies are used on this website for proper function of the website, for tracking performance analytics and for marketing purposes. We and some of our third-party providers may use cookie data for various purposes. Please review the cookie settings below and choose your preference.
Strictly Necessary: Used for the proper function of the website
Performance/Analytics: Used for monitoring website traffic and interactions
With every degree of verticalization now made possible by information and communications technologies, the right scope of operations for any given firm is an open question. Today, your management team should be giving more thought to horizontalintegration. Let me suggest, however, that it is the wrong question to obsess about.
From Microsoft’s latest radical reorganization and subsequent purchase of Nokia’s devices unit to Google’s acquisition of Motorola , it’s clear that after decades of horizontalintegration, high tech is in an age of increased verticalization. If they don’t, they may not survive this industry-realigning disruption.
An internet technology company picks up a mobile phone manufacturer. The current cohort of acquisitions goes well beyond the typical defensive, synergy-driven, horizontalintegration that marked previous M&A spurts. How realistic is leadership’s vision for the acquisition? Joe Beck/Unsplash/HBR Staff.
We organize all of the trending information in your field so you don't have to. Join 5,000+ users and stay up to date on the latest articles your peers are reading.
You know about us, now we want to get to know you!
Let's personalize your content
Let's get even more personalized
We recognize your account from another site in our network, please click 'Send Email' below to continue with verifying your account and setting a password.
Let's personalize your content