Abstract
Existing studies have shown that the group relative standing perceived by acquired employees in merger and acquisition (M&A) integration negatively affects their turnover intentions; that is, low group relative standing will lead to high turnover intention. Based on the grounded theory, this study conducted a three-step analysis, including initial-case analysis, confirmed-case analysis, and literature comparison. However, the emerging findings differ from previous research results: in M&A integration, a low relative standing can lead to a low level of turnover intention. The study reveals that status legitimacy is a key boundary condition for the relationship between group relative standing and turnover intention. Specifically, under high and low status legitimacy, the effect of group relative standing on turnover intention is different. This study extends the research on the issue of turnover in M&A by clarifying the key role of status legitimacy, and can provide guidance and have significant implications for the management of M&A integration, the positioning of organizational management focus, and the formulation of strategies.