Information Management Issues in Mergers and Acquisitions: A Manager's Briefing.

• Author: BENEDON, WILLIAM
• Position: Review

TITLE: Information Management Issues in Mergers and Acquisitions: A Manager's Briefing

AUTHOR: David O. Stephens, CRM, CMC, FAI

ISBN: 0-933887-95-7

PUBLISHER: ARMA International

PUBLICATION DATE: 2000

LENGTH: 18 pages

PRICE: $22 ARMA members / $32 non-members

SOURCE: ARMA International Bookstore, www.arma.org or 888-241-0598

This Manager's Briefing addresses the subject of mergers and acquisitions in a very authoritative and practical manner. Through the introduction of the subject in a two-page Executive Summary, the author highlights the areas of management concern and the role played by records and information management practitioners in merger and acquisition activities. A number of key issues associated with the subject are covered: legal and regulatory concerns, organizational and staffing issues, policy and procedures matters, and records retention and storage issues. This is a big order for a publication that contains only 18 pages, but the topics are organized in a logical sequence, and key points are emphasized in an outline or highlighted format.

The role of records and information management is presented in a manner that emphasizes its strategic value in supporting merger and acquisition efforts. A case study provides a major corporation's vision statement for the future of RIM in a merged organization. The interesting point here is that the two key elements cited for RIM's successful involvement are proper organizational placement and well-documented policies and procedures. These are traditional needs for any successful RIM program. Yet, they take on added meaning in the critical area of changing organization environments. Whether it is a merger, acquisition, divestiture, or liquidation, information is a key ingredient in the preplanning, transition, and post-transition stages of these changes.

The retention issues addressed in this Briefing are not directed at specific retention periods for varying categories of records, but rather the general concern with records that are received or transferred as the result of a merger or acquisition action. The emphasis is on the need for a RIM transition team to examine existing retention policies and to make them applicable based upon the legal position of the companies involved. Guidelines are also provided for the disposition of old, unscheduled stored records. The bottom line is clear: The organization with the best RIM program will serve as the guide for future applications. The...