Ikea Global Retailer Essay

Culture is an observable, powerful force in any organization. “Made up of its members’ shared values, beliefs, symbols, and behaviors, culture guides individual decisions and actions at the unconscious level. As a result, it can have a potent effect on a company’s well-being and success” (One Page, n.d.).

The well-known ‘build-it-yourself’ product design makes them progressive and makes them running ahead of the competition. IKEA is the only big brand in a category further not present in global markets, there are no real competitors operating in the same category. In 2013 775 million customers visited IKEA in 2013, and its website hosted 1.2 billion visits (4). Due to the ‘build-it-yourself’ product design IKEA is able to provide their customers with high quality and low cost products, even the customers with limited income and limited living space

In IKEA, the Unsolicited Proposal came from many directions. Firstly, in 1952 the boycott by Swedish retailers to IKEA, obliged to IKEA to seek new sources of furniture. Second, the Swedish furniture market demand fall by the early 1970s. Third, IKEA had identified as we said before two big markets to

The services and products offered by IKEA provide value to its customers in various ways. For one, the products and services are very affordable. The products and services are not priced highly and therefore, the average customer can enjoy them. At the same time, the products are of high quality. From IKEA’s slogan “low prices but not at any price”, it is clear that the company prices its products lowly but that does not mean that the quality is compromised. IKEA satisfying its customer’s needs through providing them value for their money as they provide quality products that will last for a long time, and at affordable costs. The fact that the company has set the minimum acceptable standards for its wood, implies that it is also keen on quality and on the environmental impact of its action of making furniture ( Edvardsson, Enquist & Hay, 2006).

IKEA’s products like the PAX wardrobe, the BILLY bookshelf, the LACK table and the SULTAN bed, sold in IKEA store are to a large scale sourced from a global network of suppliers. To take the sliding doors of PAX wardrobe as an example, IKEA just sourced different parts of the door form different countries but within consideration of total cost. Table 1 shows an overview of 8 major component of the

IKEA implements new product service design and development to offer their quality products at a cheaper price to suit people’s contemporary needs and circumstances. They focus on the price and quality, design and function, environment and health of their new product service design and development to minimize waste and

For the successful business, it is must to be aware of the culture of international country with we are doing business or trading. Cultural difference in business can aid in building international competencies as well as enabling to get a competitive benefit. It is difficult to be aware of every aspect of the other country’s organisational culture.

We believe what is good for society is good for IKEA. We are passionate about creating a successful business where we act in a responsible way through small and large actions. It is a way of being. This is why sustainability is a cornerstone in the IKEA strategic direction – it is highly prioritized and serves as a driver of further innovation and development. Economizing with resource, finding new ways of doing things and developing our knowledge and expertise are important parts of our business idea and heritage. A low price company must be a low cost company, and this includes being careful with earth’s limited resources. IKEA has unique capabilities and tremendous enthusiasm to make a positive contribution across the world – from the forests of Siberia to the cotton fields of India and all the way into people’s homes in New York, Lisbon and Shanghai. Our customers rightly expect us to not only to make our products in a responsible way, but also to help them live more sustainable

The business model, into this age of information, has integrated itself with many cultures. One of the results of this globalization is development and research into international business and work related culture. In a recent paper by Mooij & Hofstede (2010), it found focus on researching and investigating culture is becoming more popular. Looking at the exponential growth and influence of international, more International Managers are becoming aware of the impact and importance of national culture on organizational culture.

The importance of culture should never be underestimated. It is an important factor and it can even become to a core competency of high value. One reason for that is because competitors can not replicate a culture. It is a unique feature of a company and can become an important factor of the company’s success.

In this business report on the global retail business IKEA, it will cover the nature of business, influences on operations, operation processes, operation strategies and how the business can sustain competitive advantage. IKEA was founded in 1943 by Ingvar Kamprad in Älmhult, Sweden. The business established after and with the money his father awarded him for succeeding in his studies, Kamprad sustained a cash inflow by selling pens, wallets, watches, picture frames, table runners, jewellery and nylon stockings at reduced prices to customers. Although, later on in 1958, IKEA was introduced as a leader of Swedish Furniture Company as they started to produce local furniture by the Swedish local manufacturers, which gained positive attention from their customers. Eventually, developing flat packs of furniture for storage and self assembly, making their signature style of IKEA and turning the small business into a global sensation.

IKEA furnitures, privately held, international, low-cost home products are an inevitable part of interior furnishings at many houses in the world. IKEA furnitures are marked for its modern utilitarian design. The company has 260 retail outlets around the world and more new stores are on the line to be opened in 2008 (Dhanyasree, 2007).

Furniture showroom opens in Älmhult, Sweden. This is an important moment in the development of the IKEA concept - for the first-time customers can see and touch IKEA home furnishings before ordering them. The innovation is a success; people wisely choose the products with the best value for money.

IKEA is the largest furniture chain in the world, and in 2011 the Swedish company operated over 270 stores in 25 countries. In 2011 IKEA sales soared to over $35 billion, or over 20% of the global furniture market. Most of its stuffs believed IKEA will massive growth throughout the world in the coming decade because IKEA could provide what customer wanted: good design, and good made contemporary furniture with an affordable price. In one word, IKEA’s global approach focuses on simplicity, attention to detail, cost consciousness, and responsiveness in every aspect of its operations and behavior. (Jones, 2013)

IKEA established itself as the largest furniture retailer in Sweden by the early 1970s by reinventing the wheel of furniture manufacturing at that time. Majority of furniture manufacturers in Sweden produced expensive products with designs that were basic or passed down generation to generation, additionally other manufacturers stores where located in downtown congested areas. IKEA’s strategies which consisted of low cost low priced furniture, brave intricate designs, self-assembly,