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Merger Integration Monitor

Run the Merger Integration Monitor Fullscreen

About This MicroSim

This visualization simulates the integration of two organizations after a merger, tracked over 18 months. Org A (indigo nodes) and Org B (amber nodes) begin as completely separate clusters with no cross-legacy communication. As months progress, gold edges appear between the two groups, representing new cross-legacy connections. Bridge nodes -- the people who form early connections across organizational boundaries -- grow larger as they accumulate more cross-legacy relationships.

The metrics panel tracks integration health in real time: total edges, cross-legacy percentage, and an overall status label that shifts from "Silos persist" through "Progressing" to "Integrating well."

How to Use

  • Play/Pause advances the timeline automatically at one month per second
  • Month slider lets you scrub to any point in the 18-month integration period
  • Highlight Bridges checkbox fades non-bridge nodes to 30% opacity so you can see who connects the two legacy organizations
  • Hover over any node to see the employee name, legacy org, and cross-legacy connection count
  • Drag nodes to rearrange the layout -- the force-directed simulation adapts continuously
  • Reset returns the simulation to month 0 with fresh cluster positions

Lesson Plan

Learning Objective

Students will assess merger integration progress by analyzing cross-legacy communication patterns and identifying persistent silos between two merged organizations.

Activities

  1. Observe the Timeline: Play the full 18-month animation and note when the first cross-legacy edges appear and when the clusters begin to visually overlap
  2. Identify Bridge Nodes: Enable "Highlight Bridges" and identify which individuals formed the earliest connections -- discuss why early bridge-builders matter
  3. Evaluate Integration Health: At months 6, 12, and 18, record the cross-legacy percentage and status label -- discuss what thresholds indicate healthy integration
  4. Spot Persistent Silos: At month 18, look for clusters of nodes that still have no cross-legacy connections -- what organizational interventions could address these gaps?

Assessment

  • Explain why cross-legacy percentage is a better integration metric than total edge count
  • Identify the top 3 bridge nodes and describe their structural importance using graph terminology (betweenness centrality, broker role)
  • At month 9, the integration status is "Progressing" -- propose two specific organizational actions that could accelerate integration
  • Discuss the ethical considerations of monitoring employee communication networks during a merger

References

  1. Organizational Network Analysis - Wikipedia - Foundational concepts for analyzing organizational communication patterns
  2. Mergers and Acquisitions - Wikipedia - Background on M&A integration challenges
  3. Betweenness Centrality - Wikipedia - The graph metric that identifies bridge nodes connecting communities