Rationalisation of business processes to create a unified information systems portfolio in a merger: a case study of a financial institution

Abstract

The failure to rationalise business processes and Information Technology (IT) systems inhibits the ability of organisations to capitalise and create synergies for a merger. Rationalisation of business processes to create a unified Information Systems (IS) portfolio plays a significant role in the success of a merger. The synergies of a merger are entrenched in the rationalisation business processes where the creation of a unified IS portfolio becomes vital. The consolidation of business units performing similar business functions in a horisontal merger creates a negative physiological environment to those affected by the change. A case study of a merged financial institution was conducted where the research explored factors affecting the rationalisation of business processes and IT systems when business units merge. The research questions to explore the factors are: 1) What are the factors affecting the business process and IT systems rationalisation when business units merge? 2) How does the rationalisation of business processes affect the IT systems in the merged financial institution?Politics and cultural differences are among the challenges experienced during the rationalisation process in the merged financial institution. Collaboration among professionals is important to ensure the success of IS implementation, thus corporate executives need to identify cultural differences during the pre-merger stage. The IT system chosen to consolidate legacy mainframe systems did not align with the organisation’s client centric strategy. Alignment can be strengthened by the collaboration of business and IT to ensure a common vision is achieved.