Ngwenya, Charles Tony Simphiwe.Mashau, Pfano.Zungu, Boniwe Akhona Mandisa.2025-12-012025-12-0120222022https://hdl.handle.net/10413/24185Masters Degree. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban.Organisations exist in Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity, and Ambiguity (VUCA). Hence there is a modest expectation that employees will naturally remain engaged without the organisation strategically implementing interventions. More especially in an organisation where there have been recurrent changes in leadership, organisational structure, and organisational culture in a period of fewer than six years such as 4Packaging Africa Durban. These changes could positively or negatively impact employees’ perceptions, behaviour, and performance. Since the previous acquisition, the researcher had observed a growing pattern of disengaged workers before 4Packaging Africa Durban took over the business. With all these changes, there is a need to ascertain whether this behaviour is aggravated by the acquisitions, what factors drive it, and what effects does it have on employees’ level of engagement? Factors identified in the study, which harm employee engagement include lack of communication, consultation, management, unequal treatment, disregarding employees, machines, remuneration, and trust. The purpose of this study is to investigate the impact during the acquisition to recommend strategies aimed at eliminating factors that result in employee disengagement. The key assumption of this study is that effective communication during a business acquisition can eliminate factors that result in employee disengagement at 4Packaging Africa Durban. Literature pertinent to employee disengagement and employee engagement was consulted to develop a greater understanding of the theories underpinning employee disengagement concerning a business acquisition. A formal qualitative research approach underpinned by a research tool, in-depth interviews, was employed in this study. As the researcher sought in-depth information from the 4Packaging Africa Durban employees, on the investigated topic. This methodology was appropriate for the research study as a real-world situation was being explored as it unfolds naturally. Data collected from open-ended and repeated in-depth interviews were analysed using thematic analysis. The key findings indicate that 4Packaging Africa Durban employees are disengaged, they value communication during the process of a business acquisition, and they were negatively impacted by the business acquisition. The research findings are critical for eliminating factors that result in employee disengagement during a business acquisition at 4Packaging Africa Durban.enCC0 1.0 Universalhttp://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/acquisition.acquiror.employee disengagement.4Packaging Africa Durban.participant.Thesis