Mega-Merger: Takeover Strategies, Battles and Controls

Mega-Merger Mayhem reviews the recent merger boom in the UK, highlights the key events and discusses the major issues. It identifies the strengths and weaknesses of the government's policy in action and its merger poli controls governing competition. It also examines the conduct of the combatants and their advisers in these takeover battles. Finally it assesses the policy implications of recent developments both for the UK and EEC and puts forward some proposals for change.

Seven takeover battles are studied over the period of February 1985 to June 1988. These have been chosen for their interest, both because they reflect important sectors of UK and world business and because they illustrate UK and European merger and competition policy.

The battles are:

Elders IXL versus Allied-Lyons

At the present time several of these groups are active in new takeovers, and GEC has bid again for Plessey.

Mega-Merger Mayhem provides a fascinating account of corporate drama and intrigue, which will be of interest to all those who are in business, industry and finance.