SYNERGIZING THE INTEGRATION PRACTICES FOR ACHIEVING INTERNAL INTEGRATION Nadeem Talib 1 , Muhammad Aftab Alam 2 and Gulfam Khan Khalid Baghoor 3 Abstract This study proposes a synergized model of internal integration and argues that unless integration practices are suitably aligned, they cannot fetch desired results. We examine the antecedents of internal integration in the Petroleum industry by focusing six precursors, i.e. job rotation, inter-de- partmental training, intra-organizational knowledge sharing, management commitment, supportive information technologies, and strategic consensus. A stratified sample comprising 234 managers from the petroleum firms operating in Pakistan participated in the study. Results indicate that, while individually these factors have significant effects on internal integration, jointly they exhibit trivial effects if not aligned. The proposed model is validated through covariance technique, and relevant methodological and theoretical extensions are discussed. Keywords: Integration, Job Rotation, Knowledge Sharing, Strategic Consensus JEL Classification: Z 000 Introduction With the discerning nature of customers and changing market environment, organizations are faced with new challenges that entail a great deal of integrated relationships. Firms largely draw on their core competencies and outsource the non-core activities to other members in the chain who possess superior capabilities in those areas. The success depends on how well an organization integrate its practices, procedures, and behaviors into a collaborative, synchronized and manageable 1 National University of Modern Languages, Sector H/9, Islamabad, Pakistan. E-mail: ntalib@numl.edu.pk Cell: +92 3005278767. 2 Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW 2109, Australia. E-mail: muhammad.alam@hdr.mq.edu.au Cell: +61 452152854 3 Office for Research Innovation and Commercialization (ORIC), National University of Modern Languages, Sector H/9, Islamabad, Pakistan. E-mail: muil@oric.numl.edu.pk. Cell: 03345087320. Volume 20 Issue 2, July, 2018 Research 388 PAKISTAN BUSINESS REVIEW