Mergers, amalgamations and acquisitions in the Australian not-for-profit human services sector

The overarching aim of this research project is to identify and assess the dynamics among the key motivations, risks, barriers and opportunities associated with merges, amalgamations and acquisitions (M&As) in the Australian Not-for-Profit (NFP) human services sector. Findings support M&A uptake as an effective strategy for organisational growth, gaining, scale efficiencies and enhancing service choice and quality within the NFP service sector. The M&A process itself however is often complex, time-consuming and can be costly. Some of the critical M&A success factors include  board and CEO leadership, clarity of the social mission and goals, a well-designed merger plan, proactive communication and stakeholder engagement. We utilise the 4-P framework, representing ‘purpose, people, process and policy’ to elucidate the connectivities among the four different factors, and recommend a range of good practice guidelines for M&A success.

Project dates: 2017 - 2018 

Key contributors: Nava Subramaniam, Craig Furneaux, David Gilchrist; Alan Lowe; Adela McMurray, Yesh Nama and Raelene West

This project addresses the following Sustainable Development Goals and Targets: