Which one of the following statements about merger and acquisition strategies is true?
A) Merger and acquisition strategies are nearly always a superior strategic alternative to forming alliances or partnerships with these same companies.
B) Merger and acquisition strategies tend to be far more successful that forming strategic alliances and cooperative partnerships with other companies.
C) Merger and acquisition strategies often do not produce the hoped-for outcomes—examples of mergers/acquisitions where the results have been disappointing include the merger of AOL and Time Warner, the merger of Daimler Benz and Chrysler, Hewlett-Packard's acquisition of Compaq Computer, Ford's acquisition of Jaguar, and Best Buy's acquisition of Musicland.
D) Mergers and acquisition strategies are a very high-risk strategy because of the financial drain of using the company's cash resources to accomplish the merger or acquisition.
E) Merger and acquisition strategies are one of the best ways for helping a company strengthen its brand image.