Case Study: It was a mergers and acquisitions scenario. The client was an industry leader in luxury handbags. To expand its portfolio and target younger audiences, the client has decided to buy a 3-year-old luxury footwear and apparel company. The strategic acquisition will help the company capture more of the luxury goods market share. The vision of the merged company is to take advantage of combining the old with the new. Accenture has been asked to help with the merger of its core business processes and IT systems. They must quickly combine their IT systems and processes for finance, human capital management, and marketing to cut operational costs and increase income so stakeholders will see the financial benefit of the merger as quickly as possible. Employees from both companies are nervous about the acquisition, as the company cultures are very different and the timeline to merge is tight. They would like to complete the merger within 2 years. When Accenture arrives, the two are still working as separate companies, with only a few key decisions made on how to run as a new joint company. There isn't a leadership team or merger program established that will shape how the companies can make the merger complete within the timeline. Key Question: What are the key issues this acquisition is facing and what are your recommended next steps to the client on how to proceed with a successful merger?