10 February 2005

Merger Myopia

Two retail giants join forces. But how will the customer benefit?

by William J. McEwen
Author of Married to the Brand (Gallup Press, 2005) and coauthor of the Harvard Business Review article "Inside the Mind of the Chinese Consumer"
Major corporate marriages are back in the news. But while Wall Street may benefit from these mergers (in the short run at least), will anyone else? This article focuses on how one big deal, the $11 billion merger of Sears and Kmart, will affect the most important people to these retail giants -- their customers. Some cautionary notes for executives in any industry.
William J. McEwen, Ph.D., is Global Practice Leader for Gallup's Brand Management practice. He is the author of Married to the Brand (Gallup Press, 2005) and coauthor of the Harvard Business Review article "Inside the Mind of the Chinese Consumer."
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