Corporate takeover - what should I be doing?

My friend learned that the organisation he works for is targeted in a friendly corporate takeover. He's not exec level so is not directly informed but has it "from reliable sources". 

We were discussing what he should or could be doing at this time... Several years back I was in a firm that was taken over and for two years almost nothing happened. It was very difficult getting anything past my then managers. Is this the norm?

His questions are two-fold:

On the one hand he has some initiatives that he's keen to push forward within his department but he says he can't get anything done as the exec is focused on seeing the takeover go through. What can he be doing to get traction in this climate? Or, should the question rather be, what could he be doing to be in a position to get traction when the deal is done?

And on the other hand, in terms of general preparedness, what should he be doing to get ready for the change in ownership?  What kinds of changes is the organisation likely to go through that he should be aware of and get ready for?