Given the high failure rate of mergers and acquisitions, ‘due diligence’ is an essential tool in deciding whether to undertake a corporate merger or specific corporate finance transaction. The book provides a conceptual approach to undertaking ‘due diligence’ in the context of strategy and shareholder value analysis, dividing it into nine distinct audit areas, namely compatibility, financial, macro-environmental, legal/environmental, marketing, production, management, information systems and reconciliation.

It combines standard ‘due diligence’ concepts with the principles of financial accounting, law, management accounting and corporate finance (including shareholder value) to provide an integrated approach to ‘due diligence’.

The book considers South Africa’s developing market issues (such as Black Economic Empowerment) and compares them to the issues of a developed economy (namely the USA).

• Due Diligence: Purpose, extent and timing
• Due Diligence areas of audit accumulation
• The reconciliation audit: The keystone
• Practical considerations
  

Luis F Gillman CA(SA) ACMA

Luis Gillman has written a number of articles on the subject of ‘due diligence’ and is an international journal peer-reviewer. He has extensive experience in commerce, ranging from auditing, accounting and pricing, to developing an international award-winning rail costing system (CIMA: Innovation in Management Accounting Award 2008). He has expertise in corporate finance and evaluating multi-billion Rand capital investment decisions.