Different Ways to Integrate

Learn about the different approaches to integration 

This course is part of the Certified Acquisition Integration Manager program 

The task of selecting how to integrate your acquisition is not time consuming. However, it is extremely important that you understand the approaches so that you can frame what is best for your business, correctly.

This course looks at four broad-category approaches to integrating an acquired small or mid-size business, along with the “Keep Separate” strategy (an approach where no integration takes place). We will describe how each works, its advantage and how to succeed when using it.

The smallest integrations can involve hundreds of tasks or projects 
How you to create these projects is critical to the successful management of this busy time

Different Ways to Integrate covers the following topics

  • An overview and comparison of the different ways to integrate
  • The consolidation approach
  • The benefits of leaving an acquisition autonomous
  • Should you wait before starting an integration?
  • Rolling up multiple acquisitions with one integration program
  • How to tackle an integration of two mismatched businesses
  • How to integrate a business you intended to keep separate

Check out the contents of this course!

Upon successfully passing the course assessment, you will be awarded a Learning Achievement for completion. It contributes towards the Certified Acquisition Integration Manager (CAIM) qualification. To review your Learning Achievements go to Online, My Learning Profile

To review your Learning Achievements go to Online, My Learning Profile

Contact us to get a credit!

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12 Months' Access

Take this course to learn the different ways to integrate an acquired business

Register now to access the course Different Ways to Integrate 

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Our Full Range of Courses and Certifications

Training and certification for set up and management of an integration of an acquired business

Training, certification and mentoring for you to deliver the value of your M&A through successful integration

Acquisition integration basics course

Addresses questions that acquired employees have, including "What is an acquisition integration?", "How are the integration teams and decision makers organized?" and "How long can an integration take"

Considerations that leadership should have before acquiring,  discuss 6 myths about integrations, and differentiate between the priorities of the acquisition team and the integration team

Four broad-category approaches to integrating an acquired small or mid-size business, along with the “Keep Separate” strategy

The Integration Organization

The teams that oversee, manage and deliver an acquisition integration; the members of these teams, their roles, qualifications and ideal qualities

Integration Objectives

Initiatives that define the focus areas, for the journey ahead: how to identify the objectives, and how these fit into the SSIM™ as a whole

  Learn how to estimate and budget the finances of an acquisition integration: three types of cost estimation, budget submission, and three types of synergy

Staff Retention after an Acquisition

 Staff retention should be a priority of smaller integrations. We discuss  non-financial and financial incentives and introduce The Staff Retention Toolbox

Onboarding an entire acquired business is complex, emotional, and critical to the success of integrating acquired smaller businesses

Preparing for Day 1

The way that you announce and welcome new employees can be the difference between integration success and failure. Here we teach how to prepare and deliver the Day 1 announcement

Communication during Integrations

Learn how to communicate to the different audiences for an integration, applying seven communication objectives

Creating Acquisition Integration Projects

Walk through the process of turning integration objectives into workstream charters, and deriving the high level and details tasks.


A Huge Positive Difference

Extremely organized, detail-oriented, thorough, timely, and importantly... made a huge positive difference on many occasions, helping to gain loyalty, bridge differences, and get newly acquired companies up and running

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Linda Peduto Facilities Manager

The Results are There

Intista were really helpful in strategic planning and finding solutions. We had positive results that helped the company and employees move forward. They were definitely worth the time. The results are there, and motivation is part of the process.

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Monica Berrios HR Director

Holistic Thinking

Really appreciate your dedication, professionalism, hard work and holistic thinking.

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Wyatt Campbell COO

Strongly Recommended

We [were] dealing with a big integration project between a China and a Europe based company.

A great experience... [the] contribution to our email migration project is highly appreciated, excellent communication and coordination skills are highly praised.

Definitely Steve and his company will be strongly recommended to our partners. I would say that if we have any chance doing the project based in USA and Europe, they will be on the preferred vendor list for sure.

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Patrick Xiao Head of IT Department

Made for a Better Culture

Able to assume solutions many times before problems occur and can remain collected. …also quickly made personal relationships with members of both companies and helped to integrate them by learning process and introducing counterparts. It not only made for a better culture, but a smoother run in streamlining both lines of business.

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Lauren Mink Purchasing and Facilities Management

Value Beyond the Scope

They were very responsive to my needs and gave added value beyond the scope I requested, finding gaps that we didn't realize were there. The attitude, support and professionalism were outstanding. We would have no hesitation in asking them back for future projects.

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Samuel Bronstein CEO
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