Abstract
COEXPLORER is a management consulting firm undertaking its first external growth initiative through a merger and acquisition with Sense, another smaller management consulting firm.
By taking turns playing the roles of partners and then consultants at one of the two firms, participants are invited to experience the merger and acquisition through three strategic episodes during which
(1) the partners negotiate the merger and acquisition agreement,
(2) the consultants define an integration strategy, and finally,
(3) the consultants enter the first phase of integration.
The role-playing exercise allows learners to gain an understanding of the challenges involved in this type of corporate strategy operation.