The role of expatriates has been discussed with respect to knowledge transfer between the acquiring and the acquired company. However, the transfer of embedded knowledge is not guaranteed by each international assignment. While some studies have revealed the importance of prior working experience with a specific host country or with a particular entry mode as a success factor for expatriates involved in the integration of mergers,47 this has not been confirmed for acquisitions. In a study by Hébert et al., prior experience did not have an impact on the performance of the acquired firm.48
In contrast to these findings, the above-mentioned study on M&As in Germany revealed that successful integration is dependent upon managers' industry experience, experience with similar projects, and particularly in the case of cross-border alliances, level of intercultural competence.49 An emphasis on industry experience is in line with the suggestion by Hébert et al. who state that industry experience is an important asset when staffing an acquired subsidiary with an expatriate because it can lead to a transfer of best practices.50
These arguments have implications for the staffing of the post-merger integration team. Hébert et al.51 suggest that acquiring companies should not completely rely on the placement of expatriates within the top management team of an acquired subsidiary. They suggest creating a strong team including a mix of both groups – expatriates and local members of top management – and that the acquisition integration be viewed as a collective learning process.