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Ikea's Success

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Leeds Metropolitan University
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Leeds Business School
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Corporate Strategy

Critically examine how the success of Ikea has been supported by its organisational culture

Mona Thorvaldsen, Kate Mulvana, Joan Kawalewale, Tom A. Trosterud, Jodie Evans
MA Public Relation Management & MA Business Studies
Semester Two

Module Leader: Lawrence Bellamy

Contents

Page No

Chapter 1 – Introduction | 3 | | | | | Chapter 2 – Background | 3 | | | | | Chapter 3 - Appraisal | 4 | | | | | Chapter 4 – Analysis | 9 | | | | | Chapter 5 – Conclusion | 14 | | | | | Bibliography | 15 |

Executive summary

This report examines the corporate culture of the global furniture leader IKEA and discusses the link between Ikea’s culture and its performance.
The cultural web is used as a device for breaking up the complexity of organisational culture and for demonstrating that Ikea enjoys a strong and consistent culture.
The report identifies synergy between Ikea’s culture and strategy, arguing that culture has given the organisation competitive advantage. Furthermore it points to the complex set of factors influencing performance, and how Ikea’s culture is one of several components in its success-formula.

1.0 Introduction

Organisational culture is built on the assumptions and beliefs that construct purpose, guidelines and collectivism. In effect strategy reflects the organisational culture in the sense that it represents the outcome of the ‘taken-for granted’ assumptions, behaviours and routines of the organisation (Johnson et. al., 2005).

Ikea is a market leader in home furnishing, enjoying success on a global scale. As much

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