...categories, such as office supplies, men's or women's clothing, and carpet. It isn't the product they sell that determines if a company is a specialty store but rather the breadth of their product offering. If a company could be considered an expert in a certain type of good, it is a specialty store. (www.educationportal.com) Company Introduction IKEA is one of the best private furniture based companies in the world which started in a small village of Agunnaryd in Sweden. A company which has the experience of working for more than 6 decades around the globe, which currently is operating in 40 countries around. IKEA is a company which has always focused itself towards creating a better future for the people by producing reliable furniture at a low cost. The basic concept of the company is based on southern Sweden which has thin soil and poor people and they use their hard work to survive. The genius behind the company made sure that all these values were transferred to the company and its core values were designed around the basic inherited values. IKEA is a privately-held, international home products retailer that sells flat pack furniture, accessories, and bathroom and kitchen items in their retail stores around the world. The company, which pioneered flat-pack design furniture at affordable prices, is now the world's largest furniture retailer. IKEA was founded in 1943 by 17-year-old Ingvar...
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...Background IKEA, the world’s largest home furnishings retail chain, was founded in 1943 by a Swedish entrepreneur Ingvar Kamprad. IKEA offers standardized products worldwide that are Scandinavian in design worldwide. The unique idea of this famous brand is to offer the option of assembling products to customers. The design of the furniture is very modern and light as it is made of particleboard. The products are of contemporary design and function with the concept that is based on low price. High quality, convenience, affordability, consistency, functionality and good design are the essence of this world class home furnishing retailer. Challenges IKEA faced many challenges in terms of culture and business practices as well as socio-economic and political conditions in China. The biggest challenges were pricing, copycat producers and cheap labor cost for assembled furniture. Alternatives To make the price more affordable for Chinese consumers IKEA has developed manufacturing units in China and collects raw materials locally. Due to country specific environment IKEA chose franchising in China. Because of cheap labor cost of Chinese assembled furniture IKEA offers reasonable fee-based assembling services. IKEA has built its stores near public transportation lines inside cities since only 20% of customers own cars in Shanghai. Recommendations IKEA needs to find more local suppliers to keep price lower. To understand local culture and purchasing habit, the company should carry...
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...The reason behind choosing the IKEA is because IKEA is one of the world’s most successful retailers. IKEA is a global furniture brand inspired by the egalitarian society of its Swedish heritage and appears to the public to be forever Swedish. It expands its retail stores all over the world including North American, European Middle East and Asian countries but also spreads a kind of its own a highly strong business culture and values with a strong Swedish image to other countries through the establishment of business there. History: IKEA was founded in 1943 in Sweden by Ingvar Kamprad. Kamprad was born in 1926 as the son of a farmer in Småland, a region in southern Sweden. At the age of five Ingvar Kamprad starts selling matches to his nearby neighbors and by the time he is seven, he expands to selling flower seeds, greeting cards, Christmas tree decorations, pencils and ball-point pens. In 1943, at the age of 17, Kamprad became an entrepreneur and created a commercial company called "IKEA." The word IKEA was an acronym of his name and “Ingvar Kamprad” and the address, the name of his farm and village: “Elmtaryd, Agunnaryd”. Company initially sold fish, vegetable seeds, and magazines to customers in his region. Then in 1950 IKEA added furniture and home furnishings to the product line. IKEA entered new markets around the globe in the 1980s. IKEA expands dramatically into new markets such as USA, Italy, France and the UK. Operating Environment: Ikea is the world's largest furniture...
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...ABSTRACT Distribution logistic plays an important role in international companies or in Multinational Corporation. It is because most company preferred more competence in the complex and global market. Nowadays customers more concern about how long their ordered product reach to them rather than worrying how the company will deliver the products. As a consequence, time can be used as an indicator in distribution logistic. This research is conducted to explain the consequences of distribution logistic and the way IKEA will gain competitive advantage by utilizing it. We will identify the key elements in distribution logistics and find the competitive advantages of IKEA through analyzing the case study of IKEA and they are: speed, dependability and last but not least is flexibility. Keyword: IKEA, Distribution logistic, Competitive advantage. INTRODUCTION 1.1 BACKGROUND Logistics management is the governance of supply chain functions. Logistics management is important not solely to producing and assembly industries, that are goods-oriented, however conjointly to selling, transport and alternative distribution or service- oriented industries. Daskin (1985) defined logistics as “the design and operation of the physical, managerial and informational systems needed to allow goods to overcome time and space”. Another definition promulgated by the Council of Logistics Management Ballou (1992) is: the process of planning, implementing and controlling the efficient, cost-effective...
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...Strategies BUS499 Business Admin. Capstone Aug 10, 2012 Strayer University Introduction When a company chooses what type of business or corporate level strategy they want to use, this decision is important because it will set the tone for success or failure. Many companies will hire a manager to determine what type of strategy is best for the corporation. Other companies will already have something in place that just needs improvement. In order for a company to be successful with theses strategies they need to know what kind of competition is out there. A corporation’s competitor can usually dictate what strategy fits the corporation best. Once a corporation has figured out what strategies to use then they can move forward with building a successful firm. 1. Analyze the business-level strategies for the corporation you chose to determine the business-level strategy you think is most important to the long-term success of the firm and whether or not you judge this to be a good choice. Justify your opinion. The company that was chosen to be researched is IKEA. IKEA is a well known furniture retailer. IKEA was founded by Ingvar Kamprad in 1943 (ikea.com). Ingvar, at the age of five began selling matches to the local community. He then found out that he was able to buy matches from Stockholm in bulk at a cheaper price and sell it back at a lower price and still make a good profit. Ingvar’s entrepreneurial style brought him to the furniture business...
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...OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT GROUP PROJECT Report on the Operations Management strategy of Xuan Hoa Furniture and IKEA Prepared for Prof. Noel By - Group 7 - Lê Quang Anh Đỗ Thị Hà Anh Vũ Kim Phượng Nguyễn Thị Mỹ Linh Nguyễn Thị Thùy Linh May 22, 2014 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Operational management is line management of organizations that highly affect the company’s performance. It is a business function that organizes, coordinate and control the resources needed to produce a good, operational management is a business process to create highest level of efficiency and value add. Operations management is a dynamic field and presents exciting new issues and challenges for operations managers. This is also a very important coursework for everyone of us who want to become a successful leader in the future. For that reason, after completing a 3-week Operations Management course, we – Group 7 would like to present a report about our findings on the comparison of the operations management strategy between 2 companies on the field of furniture manufacturing and retailer: Xuan Hoa Furniture and IKEA. Our report is divided into 9 main parts, each one represents a strategic Operations Management decision. And every main part will be broken into 2 part: one from Xuan Hoa Furniture and one from IKEA. 1. General Introduction 2. Operations Strategy 3. Product Design 4. Managing Quality 5. Process Strategy 6. Location Strategy 7. Human Resources and Job...
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...Success Factors of IKEA 1 The Key Success Factors of IKEA Advanced English Writing 2 Abstract Taking advantage of three mayor cost-cutting strategies, IKEA has been able to maximize its profit and to succeed internationally with its concept. The self-service and do-it-yourself approach to selling furniture is one of the critical success factors IKEA uses to save costs and increase profit margins. Furthermore, it has a complicated company structure, partially in order to avoid taxes, but also to allow for some flexible management decisions to be made, based on the international needs. The third key success factor that can be held responsible for IKEA’s international triumph is its production and ordering system. The company uses recycled materials and wood alternatives in its mass productions, attracting customers from all kinds of layers of society. IKEA Key success factors International franchise Success Factors of IKEA 3 Table of Contents 1. Table of Contents ..................................................................................... 3 2. Introduction .............................................................................................. 4 3. Discussion ................................................................................................ 4 3.1 The Self-Service Approach ............................................................. 4 3.2 Advantageous Tax Planning and Decentralized Management ........ 5 3...
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...IKEA Analysis Report Your Name Argosy University IKEA’s Marketing IKEA has a unique perspective with the approach they use in marketing. The starting point begins with customers’ needs (IKEA, 2013). The focus is on local marketing versus mass marketing and competitors. This differentiates IKEA from other home good suppliers by anticipating what consumers are seeking and many times providing exactly they desire before they realize they need it. The marketing task is simple, “To build the IKEA brand and inspire people to come to the stores” (IKEA, 2013). The marketing mix is a combination of items that work together; it is often referred to as the four p’s in marketing. Price, Promotion, People, and Process are the four p’s that IKEA has embraced. Price is within their controls, they offer quality home goods at low affordable costs. They are able to keep costs low with designing from within, sourcing raw materials for production, and selling in their own stores. Promotion is achieved with iconic bold blue and yellow colors signifying a brand with value. IKEA uses many forms of media in their promotional marketing strategy; the annual catalogue is the most popular. The catalogue highlights many new home goods and accessories with interior suggestions that are attention grabbing and captivating. The catalogue has become a staple of what is new and trending in the homes of many customers. IKEA’s website is another interactive way it reaches a distinct local market, along...
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...Executive Summary IKEA is a “privately held, international home products company that designs and sells ready-to-assemble furniture such as beds and desks, appliances and home accessories”. The company was established in Sweden in 1943 by a 17-year-old Ingvar Kamprad, who is one the world's richest people in 2013, the company's name is an acronym that consists of the initials of Ingvar Kamprad, Elmtaryd (the farm where he grew up), and Agunnaryd (his hometown in Southern Sweden). IKEA is currently the world's largest furniture retailer and arguably the most successful global retailer. Being one of the biggest global retailers, IKEA benefited a lot by the globalization of its business; IKEA’s target market is the global middle class who is looking for low-priced but attractively designed furniture and household items. The company started as a home-furniture retailer in Sweden over 60 years ago. Throughout the years with the use of effective globalization, “IKEA managed to increase its business revenue and profit by selling and making home-furniture in different countries all over the world, and it has over 300 retail stores in more than 30 countries”. Other than that, they sell roughly 10,000 different products, which attract customers from different places all over the world. The basic assumption behind IKEA's global strategy was “one-design-suits-all”. This case “IKEA’s Global Sourcing Challenge: Indian Rugs and Child Labor ” is about IKEA’s development from a...
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... The side of a rock moss grows on to market tastes, political or economic factors are all examples of environmental factors. “Failure to account for these factors can lead to dire consequences” (FAO 1997). Ikea of Sweden markets its products locally and globally with their immense understanding of global marketing. The following paper will discuss the environmental factors and technology impacts on Ikeas marketing decisions. It will also analyze social responsibility and ethics and their importance to Ikeas marketing. Ikea Ikea of Sweden markets “a wide range of well-designed, functional home furnishing products at prices so low that as many people as possible will be able to afford them. This is the idea at the heart of everything IKEA does, from product development and purchases to how we sell our products in IKEA stores globally” (Ikea 2008). As the world of international marketing and technology changes, Ikea faces more challenges than ever. With more than 253 Ikea Group stores in 24 countries, the organization is always facing new marketing challenges that are affected by environment. With the economy being in a downturn, Ikea has seized the time for new opportunities for finding more cost-effective ways of running a global organization. This allows for the company to find new ways to provide their consumers with low prices and high quality products that will extend the gap even farther between the organization and their competitors. They offer quality products at sometimes...
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...I. View Point II. Time Context In 1943, IKEA was established by Ingvar Kamprad. The company sold fish, Christmas magazines, and seeds from his family farm. In 1948, Kamprad added furniture to his product line. In 1949, IKEA published his first catalog distributed for free. In 1953, Kamprad could no longer use the milk truck to take goods to the train. As a solution in this problem, in the same year he bought an idle factory nearby Almhut and converted it into a warehouse. In 1956, IKEA developed a concept which is self-assembly furniture which later became an integral concept of IKEA. In 1957, IKEA started to exhibit and sell its products at home furnishing fairs in Sweden. In 1958, an expanded facility at the Almhut location became the first IKEA store. In early 1960, Polish-made goods were to be found on more than half of the IKEA catalog. In 1965, IKEA opened its first store in Stockholm, Sweden‘s capital. By 1973, IKEA became the largest furniture retailer in Scandinavia with nine stores. By the late 1980’s, IKEA met with considerable success, particularly in West Germany, where it had 15 stores. In 1985, IKEA opened its first United States store in Philadelphia. By the early 1990’s, the company found that things are not going well in America. Its European-style offerings did not always resonate with American consumers. To handle this situation, IKEA reemphasized design and started promoting the brand with a series of quirky hip advertisement aimed at younger...
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...IKEA was founded by Ingvar Kamprad. He was born in Småland in southern Sweden. In 1943, when Ingvar Kamprad was 17, he registered his company. The name IKEA is formed from his name’s initials (I- Ingvar & K- Kamprad) plus the first letters of Elmtaryd (E) & Agunnaryd (A), the farm and the village where he grew up. This IKEA originally sold typical general store goods. Five years later, in 1948, IKEA introduced furniture into the range. After 10 years, the first IKEA store on 6700 square meters was opened in Älmhult, Sweden. In 1963 IKEA’s first store outside Sweden opened in Oslo, Norway. 325 IKEA stores are located in more than 38 countries all over the world. IKEA supplies a broad range of home furnishing products in a great variety of styles. IKEA products are identified by single word names referring to places, rivers, and lakes in Scandinavia or common things in everyday life. Most of the names are of Swedish origin. IKEA stores are built usually very large with many displays inspired by realistic room settings or real-life homes. IKEA stores include also restaurants serving traditional Swedish food, grocery stores selling Swedish-made items and usually there is a play area named Småland for children from the age of 3 to 10. Low prices are the “cornerstone of the IKEA vision” and the most important thing for their business idea. The “flat-packs” are really useful to reduce labor-, shipping-, and storage costs. IKEA publishes an annual catalogue in 38 different...
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...Stirling FK9 4LA, Scotland, UK Department of Business Administration, Lund University, P.O. Box 7080, SE-220 07 Lund, Sweden c Department of Communication Studies, Lund University, Campus Helsingborg, PO Box 882, SE-251 08 Helsingborg, Sweden b a r t i c l e in fo Available online 29 September 2010 Keywords: IKEA Retail internationalisation Retail marketing mix Standardisation Sweden the UK China abstract IKEA is often cited as an example of a ‘global’ retailer which pursues a similar ‘standardized’ approach in every market. This paper systematically assesses the degree of standardisation (and adaptation) of four commonly identified retail marketing mix activities – merchandise, location and store format, the selling and service environment, and market communication – within three countries. These countries – Sweden, the UK and China – represent different cultural settings and are markets in which IKEA has been operating for different lengths of time. The data upon which the comparison is based was generated from personal interviews, in-country consumer research, company documentation and third party commentaries. The conclusions drawn suggest that whilst IKEA operates a standardized concept, degrees of adaptation can be observed in customer facing elements, and in the supporting ‘back office’ processes which support these elements. These adaptations arise from differences in consumer cultures and the length of...
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...IKEA Executive Summary Founded in 1943 by entrepreneur Ingvar Kamprad, IKEA first began with sales of inexpensive products such as pens, watches, and jewelry. Soon after, IKEA started selling furniture and published a catalog in 1951. With its Scandinavian and contemporary style, IKEA's business model of furnishing simplicity and do it yourself furniture has taken the company from a catalog based company to a multimillion dollar company. The company has grown to over 253 outlet stores in 37 countries and making itself known as a global brand of do it yourself furnishings at a lower cost than most furniture retailers Marketing strategies IKEA’s success is based on principal marketing strategies that remain the same throughout the world, which include a catalogue that is printed in 52 editions in 27 languages and has a worldwide circulation of 200 million copies, and the use of the colors of the Swedish flag blue and yellow in the IKEA logo. This is combined with an emphasis on customer freedom and choice with regard to buying and taking home products, and low prices intended to create a “sale” mentality amongst customers. This aggressive price strategy coupled, with a wide product range catering for every potential lifestyle and life stage of a consumer, can best summarize the company’s recipe for success. The fact that IKEA targets all age groups and households makes it an attractive proposition to a wide spectrum of most countries’ consumers, especially amongst depressed...
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...Executive Summary IKEA is the world's largest furniture retailer and the world's third-largest consumer of wood, behind The Home Depot and Lowe's. The company is known for its modern architectural designs on various types of appliances and furniture, often associated with a simplified eco-friendly interior design. They are owned and operated by a complicated array of not-for-profit and for-profit corporations. The corporate structure is divided into two main parts: operations and franchising. Older IKEA stores are usually designed in a one-way layout, designed to encourage the customer to see the store in its entirety as opposed to a traditional retail store. IKEA has suppliers in 50 countries, roughly ⅔ of purchasing is from Europe with about ⅓ from Asia but for most of its products, but the final assembly is performed by the end-user. They also have 28 distribution centers and 11 customer distribution centers in 16 countries using flat packs, transporting goods where possible by rail and sea, and utilizing fuel-saving techniques that allow them to be cost-effective and environmentally friendly. Their consumers are often the means of out-bound logistics, responsible for picking up and transporting the products. There's no room for wasted space in product packaging. Logistics roles exist at every stage in the supply chain at IKEA, from the moment a product leaves the manufacturer to the moment it is in the hands of the customer. The in-store logistics manager uses a proprietary...
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