Given the tremendous value of global mergers and acquisitions today, it's essential to understand what works and what doesn't in melding two often disparate organizations.

Companies combine to gain competitive advantage. When mergers and acquisitions fail, research shows it's mostly because organizations too often overlook or ignore organizational culture and human capital issues and pay little attention to integrating these softer issues into the "hard" integration process. In fact, according to executives responding to the McKinsey Merger Integration Conference survey (2010-2017), over 50 percent of companies that don't effectively manage culture when going through a merger or acquisition report that they do not achieve their synergy targets.

1) What is culture? Why is it important to carefully examine the 2 cultures before proceeding with M&A?

2) Provide an example of a failed merger due to cultural differences and describe the issues encountered and results realized.