CIOs and their IT departments must be prepared for the sudden and disruptive upheavals in their enterprise computing environments that stem from unexpected business transactions, such as mergers and acquisitions. Regardless of what side of the deal their company is on (whether they're the acquirer or the target), IT leaders need to ensure their company's systems are in proper working order, and they need to be part of the decision-making around the deal. Unwieldy systems may not be worth acquiring and could dramatically lower the value of the transaction.
And if your CEO knocks on your door tomorrow morning to tell you that the business is selling off a division next week or acquiring a competitor's assets, he or she is going to want to know if the IT systems can handle this type of abrupt transaction.
Source: CIO