Five Frogs on a Log: A CEO's Field Guide to Accelerating the Transition in Mergers, Acquisitions And Gut Wrenching Change

by Mark L. Feldman, Michael F. Spratt

A Five frogs are sitting on a log.Four decide to jump off. How many are left? FiveWhy?Because there's a difference between deciding and doing. Written by Mark L. Feldman and Michael F. Spratt of PricewaterhouseCoopers, Five Frogs on a Log offers readers an entertaining and no-nonsense field guide to the mergers and acquisitions jungle, packed with insight and instruction for executing corporate change and capturing shareholder value. Whether you're buying another company or acquiring a new vision of the future, this book proffers an unconventional perspective and a practical, readily accessible set of solutions to the single greatest challenge facing today's executing rapid transitions ion mergers, acquisitions and gut wrenching change.Designed for corporate managers and CEOs caught up in the whirlwind of change, every chapter provides accessible ideas and wisdom for navigating the most demanding business transitions. The authors offer a unique hands-on perspective based on their work with top Fortune 500 firms. As they "Increasingly, the companies that win are those that learn faster, act quicker and adapt sooner. They will compress time by making and executing early, informed decisions about economic value creation, ruthless prioritization and focused resource allocation. They will use these decisions to take early firm stands on management deployment, organization structure and culture. Their actions will increasingly be linked to long-term, sustained economic value creation." The advice and expertise offered in this book can be used to solve a range of operational problems from speeding up new product development to merging two businesses; from changing company culture to repositioning a business in a while new marketplace.Whatever the challenges and opportunities facing you, your company, your industry, Five Frogs on a Log will move you from deciding to doing.

Genres: Business, Leadership, Nonfiction, Management

224 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 30, 1998

Reviews

[Chris Seaton · Rating 4 out of 5]

A bit dated and very focused on a US perspective, but I found this an invaluable set of ideas and challenges as I took on a temporary CEO role merging two MATs earlier this year. As the subtitle suggests, the biggest challenges are human and emotional rather than logistical, and for anyone engaged in M&A work, this is worthy of a read.

[Sundeep Mathur · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice book and most for executives involved in merger and acquisitions. Good thoughts about communication within an organization to maximize productivity. Like all business books there is not much of a story and the same points are reinforced in the chapters many times. Good read overall. I would recommend this book.

[Jesse Richards · Rating 3 out of 5]

Useful information and good advice, backed up by data. The writing style is almost insufferable, though, packed with hundreds of folksy metaphors and fake stories. Stick to the real-life examples. Also, a huge pet peeve were the callout sidebars on every page that repeated quotes from the text. What a way to pad the book.

[Javier Castillo Gil · Rating 4 out of 5]

Straightforward, practical, and sometimes surprisingly insightful. It’s framed around M&A, but the lessons on execution, alignment, and leadership during times of change are broadly applicable. Some sections are a bit formulaic, but the core message (don’t wait too long to act and be clear about what matters) is timeless. Worth reading if you're navigating transitions.

[GABRIEL CABALLERO L]

Good guideline for merging operations

The book is what I was looking for, some sort of guide for effective integration of operations.
It clearly states the risks and also their proposed solutions for each case

[Sagar Lakhani · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent strategy guide!

[Steve · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am not quite sure why I picked this book up. Written by a few PwC M&A consultants, it is typical advice from a Big 4 firm. Here is the business problem and here is how we suggest you fix it. Much of it is not necessarily practical advice. I suppose it would be a decent read if I was currently in the process of merging my company with another. Everyone else should pass.

[Jason Leary · Rating 3 out of 5]

Much more bearable than I expected. Like all business books, this one picks a simple theme and drills home its importance. What's nice is that its lessons--there is a way to successfully complete a merger--is backed up by strong and relevant evidence. A quick read for those going through a transformative time.

[Martha · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was a rough read. The author made good points, but it was loaded with complex situations/examples that became overwhelming. It is rare that it takes me more than a month or two to read a book. It's not a long book, so it speaks volumes that it took me over 6 months to finish it.

[Sameer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Going through the experience of an acquisition, this book really made sense. We continuously plan on doing something, but never actually do it. It is a fairly easy read and should be read by anyone whose organization is going to major changes.

[Bhushan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very practical book - demystifies mergers and acquisitions. Has a very pragmatic approach to leveraging the value of acquisitions. Even if you are not into M&A there are good insights that you'll be able to appreciate and use.

[Evan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great preparations for M&A planning

[Nick]

Couldn't get the motivation to finish this book even though my company is currently going through a number of acquisitions.