Without culture
no compass.
We set the course.
CULTURE DUE DILIGENCE –
DIAGNOSTICS & NAVIGATION
IM M&A-KONTEXT
Cultural Due Diligence ist ...
Diagnostics and navigation of corporate culture in the M&A context. Pre-deal, post-signing, and in crisis situations, we make invisible cultural patterns visible – and translate them into a route or approach.
Result: clear guidelines, priorities and sequences for a sustainable integration.
What's in it for you? Benefits!
- Decision readiness in days: condensed, viable, and close to a decision.
- Overview & Connectivity: a navigation map that organizes complexity and provides orientation for PMI teams
- Resonance instead of scorecards: inner images & clear guidelines – decisions that hold up.
Pre-Deal - "Understanding beyond the numbers."
ScreeningResult: Screening and decision memo in 5 working days = Go/No-Go, synergies, initial guidelines
Post-signing - "Bringing things together in a meaningful way."
AssessmentResult: Assessment with situational awareness and navigation map in 20 working days = priorities, sequence, communication
When integration falters – “Regain momentum.”
Result: Course correction via echo sounder as an early warning system or feedback mechanism in post-merger integration.
Your benefits - "Overview. Resonance. Decision-making readiness."
Benefits & VoicesResult: Navigation map, decisions in days, inner images & clear guidelines.
I don't want culture-as-a-service, I want a clear picture of the situation – where we stand, what's needed, and how we get there. No fluff.
Jan Buck-Emden
I have overseen many M&A processes and seen even more – and one thing is crystal clear: alongside strategy, cultural integration is one of the top three success factors. Those who ignore it risk failing to achieve their goals.
Fabian Raschke
Our services: How we support your implementation
#Pre-Deal: Screening
#Post-Signing: Culture Assessment
Before signing, we conduct an outside-in assessment (without access to the target's internal processes) to determine if the story and culture align. We analyze publicly and semi-public artifacts and permissible information, identify patterns and potential areas of tension, and pinpoint tipping points. The result is an initial description of the visible culture and a concise decision memo.
Understanding beyond numbers – earlier, clearer, closer to decision-making.
#Screening und Decision-Memo
After the signing, the shared vision is key: Where do cultures align, where are there frictions, and what needs clarification first? We make patterns, strengths, and risks visible and translate them into a navigational roadmap for integration: priorities and sequence, roles and decision-making processes, dos and don'ts, and core messages that resonate with employees, customers, and other stakeholders. In approximately 20 working days, we create a viable strategic overview that provides traction – without endless slides, readily adaptable for leadership and post-merger integration (PMI).
Decisiveness within. Clarity without.
Priorities, sequence, communication – decisive implementation.
#Culture Assessment as a strategic situational picture and navigation map
*Language note
Why us: Expertise & Team
This work didn't begin on the drawing board, but around the table with clients and professional colleagues: when problems became apparent, goals faded into the background, and decisions still had to be made, or even rescues needed to be achieved. Our approach – proactively shaping culture and preserving trust and values – grew out of these arduous but successful (crisis) interventions.
Sitting at the table with clients was Christoph Strömer, a certified psychologist, entrepreneur for over 25 years, transformation navigator, and crisis mediator. He leads a small, hand-picked team of navigators who work discreetly and under strict NDAs, listening attentively, reflecting patterns, and translating them into a strategic situational overview with clear guidelines both before and after the deal is finalized. This process allows for the creation of impactful decisions within days – and a course that protects trust.
resonance
What decision-makers say – and why culture makes a difference in M&A.
"The Executive Board and Supervisory Board need a shared understanding of the topic of culture and its priority within PMI. Without this unity, culture remains a secondary issue – yet it is the 'enabler' or 'hinderer' of strategic goals."
Dr. Andreas Häberli
Personal conversations and the opinions of owners, supervisory board members, private equity firms, executive board members, and management reveal a clear pattern. While the statements differ in tone, the gist is surprisingly consistent.
Schedule a compass call
Confidential, focused, 30–45 minutes. We usually respond within 24 hours.
FAQ
What does "due diligence" mean in the cultural sector? What is the difference between "screening" and "assessment"? What is an "echo sounder" and how does confidentiality work?
glossary
Short and to the point: Our key terms explained in two sentences – so you can quickly understand what is meant.