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Case Study 2.2: the Failed Merger Between Renault and Volvo

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Case Study 2.2: The Failed Merger between Renault and Volvo

In 1993, merger talks finally broke down between Renault and Volvo. A merger between the two companies had seemed the inevitable consequence of a number of years of collaboration and the plans seemed well set.

Cooperation between the two firms had begun in 1990 when Renault took a 25 per cent share in Volvo cars and a 45 per cent share in their truck division. Volvo, for its part, took a 20 per cent share in Renault. The early collaboration took the form of an exchange of engines, the joint purchasing of components and joint developments in quality control. The cooperative arrangements between the two companies were a constant source of internal criticism, which focused on …show more content…

In part, the unease of the Swedes could be traced back to their ambivalence about EU membership, which they eventually took in 1995.

Opposition mounted in Sweden among several groups of stakeholders. The merger was to take place before the privatization of Renault. The French government had no published timetable for the sale and Swedish shareholders feared either nationalization by the French of Volvo or a fall in share price. They believed that the share price would be devalued, fearing that the French government would underprice the company to ensure a successful sale. Volvo employees, including many of the less senior managers, became increasingly convinced that a merger would mean a loss of Swedish jobs. Renault had already demonstrated its ability to make significant productivity improvements and there was a belief that such methods would be transferred to Sweden, resulting in yet more restructuring. This fear was understandable given the difference in 1abour costs in the two countries. Swedish workers enjoyed the highest wages and lowest working hours of any in the European auto industry. In 1991, hourly labour costs in Sweden were 169 Swedish kronor compared to 96 in France. The inevitable conclusion was that jobs would migrate from Sweden to France, and the Swedish government, even if they wished, would be prevented from giving special assistance to Volvo by EU competition policy, even though Sweden was not a member at the time. Eventually, these fears found

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