...IKEA IN CHINA INTRODUCTION TO IKEA HISTORICAL CHAIN OF IKEA BRIEF INTRODUCTION OF IKEA IN CHINA IKEA entered China in 1998 through a joint venture and started its first in Shanghai. This was followed a store in Beijing in 1999. Since 1980s, several economic trade and investment reforms have enabled the growth of furniture industry in China by 2004, Chinese furniture production was $24 billon and its exports were $7 billion. CONCEPT: SIMPLICITY IS BEAUTY. YI JIA-COMFORTABLE HOME Q1: WHAT MAKES CHINA AN ATTRACTIVE LOCATION FOR IKEA TO INVEST IN? Market: emerging market; small to high size market; customer quality is low but shows an increasing trend Competition: intensity of rivalry is strong; facing some entry barriers; bargaining power is high; a longterm profitable business Country market & industry opportunities Resources: raw materials from China Incentives: declining of the duty rate Q1: WHAT MAKES CHINA AN ATTRACTIVE LOCATION FOR IKEA TO INVEST IN? ? 1. 2. 3. Political The reform of China since 1980?s Entered through a joint venture In 2005, first wholly owned store in Guangzhou.(China entered WTO in 2001) Q1: WHAT MAKES CHINA AN ATTRACTIVE LOCATION FOR IKEA TO INVEST IN? ? 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Economical Emerging market Basic need updated to sophisticated wants New market space for newcomers Cheap labour cost Wood industry (top supplier) Q1: WHAT MAKES CHINA AN ATTRACTIVE LOCATION FOR IKEA TO INVEST IN? Social 1. Updating of the basic needs(urbanisation) 2. Large...
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...Marketing Improving E-marketing Strategy for IKEA in China Topic Reasons: 1. Poor response rate on IKEA social websites (Weibo, Douban) and the official community Though IKEA has their official online community and accounts on the most popular social websites; neither has got enough attention and effective interaction. 2. Good online product presenting on IKEA.com but lack the featuring experience of IKEA. The official website is designed in a simple way. The main purpose of it is to present the products in a 360 degree way to consumers online. IKEA.com excels at giving clear information and vivid view like exactly what they do in their paper catalogues. However, we were expecting more on the website. They allow consumers to design their own closet, but the app runs promptly. They feature on their on-site experience, but no such experience is given online, and you cannot even buy the piece online in China. With technologies advanced every day, how can IKEA.com just be a catalogue online? It’s a challenging work, but we believe it can be better. Introduction: IKEA is a Swedish company registered in the Netherlands that designs and sells ready-to-assemble furniture (such as beds, chairs, and desks), appliances, and home accessories, featuring Scandinavian modern style. IKEA is now operating more than three hundred stores in more than 40 countries. The IKEA website contains about 12,000 products and is the closest representation of the entire IKEA range. There were over 470...
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...Ikea Strategy in China I. Ikea strategy in China II. Comparison Supor, ASD and Ikea (regarding to cookware) Sources I. Ikea in China IKEA has been in the Chinese market for more than 10 years. Ikea is used to be perceived as having low prices, this also one of the competitive cornerstones of the whole concept of Ikea. But this is not the case in China: here the perception is a fairly exclusive western retailer, a store for the higher middle class. The company realized this and started targeting the young middle class population, which are between 25 and 35 who have relatively higher incomes than the average and a higher education than the average. They are often more open to a Westernized lifestyle, and in most instances. Targeting this segment helped IKEA project itself as an inspirational western brand. This was a huge change in strategy, as IKEA was targeting the mass market in other parts of the world. Chinese see Ikea products as innovative and not traditional. Square tables are for example not traditional (round tables are tradition) and many of the colours used are not traditional to the Chinese. The Chinese Ikea stores have a special set of tea cups for the Chinese...
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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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...Case Study on IKEA Executive Summary The case study of IKEA has been read, analyzed; and the findings are presented in the report as required. The goal of the report was to analyze the case study of IKEA and then to present the findings as well as performing some tasks that are required in this report. Firstly, some terms that are closely associated with marketing has been described and analyzed. In addition to that, those terms are also discussed in relation with the case study. Brand, Business strategy, retail sector, price sensitive and franchisee are the terms that have been discussed in this report in the first section. In the second section, the required calculation for average number of customers of each sector and average spending of customers has been worked out. A new mission statement for IKEA has also been proposed there along with the justification for the mission statement. In the third section, the importance and nature of SWOT analysis has been discussed and elaborated. It is seen in the case study that IKEA performs a SWOT analysis that supports their process of building strategy. Moreover, the SWOT analysis of IKEA has also been performed and justified. In the fourth section, SMART objectives and some new marketing mix ideas for IKEA has been demonstrated. In the fifth Section, the concept of marketing model and minimizing the threats for IKEA has been included and demonstrated. Ultimately, the report contains what were required...
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...Case Report Marketing Case 8: IKEA’s Global Strategy: Furnishing the World I.Situation Analysis IKEA is a privately-owned international furniture manufacturer known for its low prices and unique style. The company’s vision is to create a better everyday life for its customers by offering a great selection of well-designed, practical home furnishings. Since IKEA has chosen this sort of affordable and distinctive marketing strategy, the company has been very successful in its expansion throughout the world. IKEA has been successful with a relatively standardized product and product line in a business with strong cultural influence. This is because: The founder formulated IKEA’s mission which states that IKEA offers wide variety of home furnishings of good design and function at prices so low that the majority of people can afford them. Such wide variety could fit a wide variety of cultures and tastes. The case studies also states that the assortment of goods are universally accepted. The principal target market of IKEA is similar across all countries and regions and is composed of people who are young, highly educated, liberal in their cultural values,white collar workers, and not especially concerned with status symbols.Most people in the IKEA target market are liberal in their tastes,preferences and cultural norms hence making them easy to accept and appreciate IKEA’s standardized products. II.Problems Found in Situation Analysis ...
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...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 Design 8. Supply Chain...
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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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...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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...4.0 IKEA’s Customer Value Strategies Three value strategies have been emphasized by IKEA which includes best product, best price and best service. Ikea customers do more than purchase Ikea products, they identify with the culture and authenticity which Ikea has attached to its products to attract more customers. The Management of IKEA said, “It’s not what you say about your Ikea furnishings that matters, it's what the Ikea furnishings say about you”. (Kerin, Hartley & Rudelius, 2010). 4.1 Best Product Value Strategies IKEA have become popular over the years as cited by Michmann and Mazze (2001) due to their product’s value, in terms of quality, style, affordability, functionality and durability,. Their products are well designed, modern, functional, and durable, of high quality, competitive prices and IKEA have a wide range of products and styles. Ikea is well known for bringing low-cost products to consumers, its mission statement focuses on improving customers' lives by bringing them good quality at good value. IKEA’s mission statement is expressed in the very structure of the store which pairs its warehouse with its sales floors. The products are displayed in a Spartan, albeit attractive, manner, and a sense of economy permeates the store. The products themselves are streamlined, uncomplicated and tailored so that the strong point is function over fashion, giving consumers a more fresh idea of acquiring which ever they need. IKEA ensures quality, style and functionality...
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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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...Executive Summary 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,...
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...com/locate/jretconser Standardized marketing strategies in retailing? IKEA’s marketing strategies in Sweden, the UK and China ˚ Steve Burt a, Ulf Johansson b,n, Asa Thelander c a University of Stirling, Institute for Retail Studies, Stirling Management School, 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...
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...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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...furnishing products at prices so low that as many people as possible will be able to afford them." Introduction At the outset, it may be useful to characterise IKEA in terms of the characteristics of demand (also known as the four Vs, see Slack et al. p 20). First, IKEA is clearly a high volume operation – as indeed most international retailers are – which lends to systematising operations but which implies capital intensive processes and therefore cost considerations will be crucial. Second, IKEA offers a large number of products (up to 14000 depending on the country/store) so there is high variety in the production process which not only leads to the need for complex and flexible processes but also entails high unit costs. Third, variation in demand will however be low, or at the least predicable (holiday periods for example) so advanced planning is possible which eliminates the need to set resources aside as a “capacity cushion” for unexpected demand. Lastly, IKEA – again as most retailers – have high process visibility, or in other words display a high degree of direct customer experience, which underlines the importance of dedicating sufficient attention to the shopping experience in all its facets. In what follows, and in line with the questions for this TMS, the implications of the five performance objectives to IKEA will be examined as well as the company’s key operational decisions that have impacted on these objectives. Thereafter 1. Question 1 There are five...
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