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One of the main purposes of Strategic Management, especially in Mergers & Acquisitions (Chapter 8 and earlier chapters Chapter 3 and 4), is to build synergy between the two companies: "Synergy occurs when organizational parts interact to produce a joint effect that is greater than the sum of its parts acting alone. The organization may attain a special advantage with respect to cost, market power, technology, or management skill. When properly managed, synergy can create additional value with existing resources, providing a big boost to the bottom line."

"Competitive advantage refers to what sets the organization apart from others and provides it with a distinctive edge in the marketplace. The essence of formulating strategy is choosing how the organization will be different. To remain competitive, companies develop strategies that focus on targeting specific customers, core competencies, provide synergy, and create value for customers."

Based on your knowledge of the following companies, how effective would you say any one of the following acquisitions were in terms of creating synergy and competitive advantage? Choose at least 1 case/acquisition from the list below as part of your discussion. Has COVID-19 affected any of these acquisitions?

a) Case 1: Googles acquisition of YouTube?

b) Case 2: PepsiCos acquisition of Frito-Lay?

c) Case 3: InBevs acquisition of Anheuser Buch?

d) Case 4: LVMH's acquisition of Tiffany & Co

In this post, there is a requirement of using at least ONE outside reference source in regards to one of these deals above. Please provide a link to article in your answer.

You are responsible for 2 comments/posts in this forum. In other words, 1) First answer the question itself by creating a thread (minimum of 10 sentences; separated and numbered ). 2) In a new thread, offer one response to yourself (self-critique) OR to one other classmate's post with your feedback on his/her answer (minimum of 5 sentences; separated and numbered ).