Post-acquisition knowledge management practices for exploration and exploitation: insights from a food service organization

Purpose: Drawing from the knowledge-based view of the firm, this paper aims to explore the knowledge management practices that the acquirer uses to exploit its knowledge creating conditions for the exploitation of the target’s knowledge and to explore its knowledge by realizing routines for the integration of new knowledge within the target. Design/methodology/approach: This paper presents an in-depth case study analysis based on the acquisition of a Dutch food service organization by an Italian company operating in the same sector. Findings: The case study analysis reveals four mechanisms for knowledge integration, two aimed at exploiting the acquirer’s knowledge, and two aimed at exploring the acquirer’s knowledge. Originality/value: This paper unveils that it is the interlinkage among organizational, human and technological factors, at multiple layers of the target, which allows the knowledge integration within the post-acquisition process.