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Mergers and acquisitions frequently result in job losses. At the same time, many organizations experience an unplanned and often undesirable exodus of talented personnel post merger or acquisition. Objective merger reselection procedures can play a useful role in guiding organizational retention decisions, but such procedures are likely to take time and may be ineffective in stemming the more immediate post‐acquisition drift. Individuals may leave the organization because they find themselves incongruent with the new culture; but they may also leave because they are uncertain, confused, or finding themselves in an ambiguous working environment. Discusses the similarities between merger and marriage, and outlines three types of organizational marriage and their implications for culture change.

Suggests that research attention has increasingly focused on the human aspects of mergers and acquisitions (M&A), particularly the problem of socio‐cultural integration. Alongside high levels of M & A activity, there has been a growing trend towards the reverse process of demerger and divestment. Like M&As, demerger is a major change process and worthy of research attention. Considers the application of theories and themes developed within the M&A literature to the emerging phenomenon of demerger. Discusses these with reference to the ICI demerger in the early 1990s.

Selecting expatriate managers for an international assignment has been hindered not just by a lack of empirical studies testing construct predictors, but more importantly, by a lack of clearly defined traits and competencies that can, in the first place, be introduced as construct predictors of success. This lack of clarity is largely owing to small variations in semantic differences in describing success factors rather than any conceptual differences in the factors themselves. This review article makes the distinction between stable personality factors, and core behavioural competencies in the development of construct predictors based on recurrent themes within the literature. Three personality attributes of low neuroticism, moderate extroversion, and high openness to experience, and four core expatriate competencies of relational ability, cultural sensitivity, linguistic skill, and ability to handle stress, are identified as crucial selector variables over and above factors typically taken into account in a domestic selection decision.

The research summarized focuses on the career change experiences of managers and professionals over the ages of 35. An initial pilot study was conducted and formed the basis of a questionnaire which was distributed to a sample of successful and unsuccessful career changers. In addition, a third group of participants were tracked for six months as they pursued a career change. In seeking to identify the key factors predictive of a successful mid‐career change, the research findings suggest that this is linked to three variables. Age itself did not emerge as a major explanatory variable.

To compare the experience of occupational stress across a large and diverse set of occupations. Three stress related variables (psychological well‐being, physical health and job satisfaction) are discussed and comparisons are made between 26 different occupations on each of these measures. The relationship between physical and psychological stress and job satisfaction at an occupational level is also explored.Design/methodology/approach – The measurement tool used is a short stress evaluation tool which provides information on a number of work related stressors and stress outcomes. Out of the full ASSET database 26 occupations were selected for inclusion in this paper.Findings – Six occupations are reporting worse than average scores on each of the factors – physical health, psychological well‐being and job satisfaction (ambulance workers, teachers, social services, customer services – call centres, prison officers and police). Differences across and within occupational groups, for example, teaching and policing, are detailed. The high emotional labour associated with the high stress jobs is discussed as a potential causal factor.Research limitations/implications – This is not an exhaustive list of occupations and only concerns employees working within the UK.Originality/value – There is little information available that shows the relative values of stress across different occupations, which would enable the direct comparison of stress levels. This paper reports the rank order of 26 different occupations on stress and job satisfaction levels.

There are many compelling social and economic reasons why managers and professionals may decide or be obliged to consider changing careers at mid life. While 30 years ago, only two out of every 100 executives were likely to make a radical career change, during the last decade, this figure has risen to 35 per cent. In reviewing the literature, examines the needs and motives for career change and the individual, organizational and wider societal factors likely to facilitate or impede that change. Reports on a continuing study comparing the experiences and characteristics of successful and unsuccessful mid‐career changers and suggests that personality differences may play an important role in determining outcomes.

Discusses the substantial increase in merger and acquisition (M & A) activity both domestically and internationally during the 1980s which, in contrast to previous waves of M & A activity, involved organizational marriages between organizations in the same area of business activity. As a result, merger synergy has become increasingly dependent on the wide‐scale integration of people and their organizational cultures. Examines the potential role played by people, the so called “soft” issues in merger success. Argues that this distinction between “hard” (financial and strategic) and “soft” issues is extremely unhelpful in reaching any complete understanding of such complex phenomena.

Shows that work‐related stress has immense costs for the industry. Asks whether the costs of stress are a problem which should be accepted as part of business today, or whether it should and can be minimised. Reviews a number of causes for work‐related stress. Recommends total quality programmesto relieve some of the costs of stress.