<p>Background: The dependency on knowledge and competence today is more critical than earlier. Today, companies need to put more effort into identifying and filling knowledge gaps, which can be achieved through mergers and acquisitions. It is important that the companies succeed in coordinating their operations after this process of change. Out of a theoretical point of view it can be argued that companies need to balance between different coordination mechanisms that result in standardized and flexible coordination respectively. </p><p>Purpose: The purpose of this Master Thesis is, in the context of a merger, to investigate and analyze which coordination mechanisms that are used in knowledge-intensive companies, how these coordination mechanisms are combined and what explains the chosen combination. </p><p>Scope: The study has been accomplished through qualitative research with interviews within the consultancy firm Cap Gemini Ernst&Young supplemented by interviews with the IT-consultancies WM-data and DataVis as well as the industrial firm SAAB Bofors Dynamics. </p><p>Results: The combination of coordination mechanisms used has been identified, which has given a possibility to study changes in the balance. The balance of coordination in the consultancy firms has relatively moved towards a higher degree of standardized coordination. We believe this is due to the consultancy firms attempts of raising their productivity with reduced customer adaptation and creativity as a consequence. SAAB, on the other hand, is moving towards a more flexible coordination but from a starting-point with a more standardized coordination in an effort of acheiving a higher degree of customer adaptation and creativity.</p>

Background: The dependency on knowledge and competence today is more critical than earlier. Today, companies need to put more effort into identifying and filling knowledge gaps, which can be achieved through mergers and acquisitions. It is important that the companies succeed in coordinating their operations after this process of change. Out of a theoretical point of view it can be argued that companies need to balance between different coordination mechanisms that result in standardized and flexible coordination respectively. Purpose: The purpose of this Master Thesis is, in the context of a merger, to investigate and analyze which coordination mechanisms that are used in knowledge-intensive companies, how these coordination mechanisms are combined and what explains the chosen combination. Scope: The study has been accomplished through qualitative research with interviews within the consultancy firm Cap Gemini Ernst&amp;Young supplemented by interviews with the IT-consultancies WM-data and DataVis as well as the industrial firm SAAB Bofors Dynamics. Results: The combination of coordination mechanisms used has been identified, which has given a possibility to study changes in the balance. The balance of coordination in the consultancy firms has relatively moved towards a higher degree of standardized coordination. We believe this is due to the consultancy firms attempts of raising their productivity with reduced customer adaptation and creativity as a consequence. SAAB, on the other hand, is moving towards a more flexible coordination but from a starting-point with a more standardized coordination in an effort of acheiving a higher degree of customer adaptation and creativity.