In which type of integration does a company join another business in a market they are unfamiliar with?

Conglomerate integration occurs when a company merges with or acquires another business that operates in a different industry or market segment. This strategy is often pursued by businesses looking to diversify their operations and reduce risk by entering markets in which they have little or no prior experience. By engaging in conglomerate integration, a company aims to leverage opportunities in new markets, potentially accessing new customer bases and revenue streams.

This type of integration allows companies to benefit from economies of scale, spread financial risk, and take advantage of synergies between disparate business operations. Companies often employ this strategy when they seek to enhance their competitiveness and innovation by venturing into unfamiliar sectors, thus broadening their overall portfolio.

In contrast, horizontal integration involves merging with or acquiring competitors within the same industry, backward vertical integration pertains to acquiring supply chain companies, and forward vertical integration involves acquiring customer-facing businesses. These alternatives do not align with the concept of entering totally different market sectors, which is the essence of conglomerate integration.