Final answer:
b. Vertical, horizontal, and conglomerate.
Corporate mergers come in three types: vertical, horizontal, and conglomerate, each with distinct strategies and purposes for combining businesses.
Step-by-step explanation:
The three types of corporate mergers are vertical, horizontal, and conglomerate. A horizontal merger occurs when firms that produce the same kind of product combine, often to grow larger or become more efficient.
A vertical merger involves firms at different stages of production joining together to streamline processes and protect against the loss of suppliers.
Lastly, a conglomerate merger includes a firm that owns multiple businesses making unrelated products, allowing for diversification to protect profits.