case study globalization of ikea

IKEA Globalization Strategy Benefits and Limits Case Study

Ikea globalization strategy: essay introduction, ikea globalization strategy: discussion, ikea globalization strategy: conclusion, works cited.

IKEA is a furniture company operating on a global scale. With stores all around the world, it had to adapt its strategy to the countries where the European approach proved unsuccessful. Nevertheless, IKEA is an example of a highly profitable global company. This paper will cover the benefits of globalization that IKEA experienced, the importance of cross-cultural understanding, and the limits of the global market.

IKEA is a tremendously successful company. In part, it owes its success to perceiving the whole world as its market. With 230 stores in 33 countries, it has shown that global strategies can lead to success. Its strategy focused on providing a finely designed product at the lowest possible cost. IKEA stores share their style all over the world, making the brand recognizable and reliable. By expanding its market without lowering the quality of the product, it was able to establish one of the most recognizable and profitable furniture brands in history (Steenkamp 51). IKEA prides itself on its cost-cutting policy, and with a global strategy, it requires globalization of production. By creating production sites in the countries it operates in, IKEA cuts the costs of delivery and manufacturing that would otherwise become unfeasible when working on a global scale (Olhager et al. 146; Burt et al. 16).

However, IKEA was not able to keep its stores and catalog identical in all countries. Without understanding the specific needs of the country, a global company is at risk of losing a lot of customers. Before expanding into the United States, IKEA did not consider the differences between the US and European markets (Mellahi and Frynas 4). As the case study points out “Sofas weren’t big enough, wardrobe drawers were not deep enough, glasses were too small, curtains too short, and U.S. size appliances didn’t fit in the kitchens.” This expansion could have been disastrous had the company not addressed this problem by redesigning its products to be more appropriate for the market. Now it is a popular brand in the United States, and the early mistakes are long forgotten.

To not repeat the same error twice, IKEA made an effort to customize its stores in China to the needs of Chinese customers. For example, a balcony section of the store was introduced. Chinese apartments often have balconies, so it was a smart decision to capitalize on this regional difference (Prange 81). This change in strategy shows some of the limits of the global approach. One strategy cannot apply to all countries due to their regional differences. A global company has to consider the needs of its customers on a more local level. This move will make the business more profitable in return. However, it does not prevent the global approach from being viable. These limits only suggest that the strategy should include more thorough research of the market before expanding. After the research is done, the company can choose how to appropriately segment the market (Schlegelmilch 70).

Globalization can be used to create a successful business. IKEA utilized this to cut costs on production, expand into 33 countries, and become a brand known worldwide. The story of its rise was not without obstacles. Its difficulties in expanding beyond Europe have shown that there are limits to utilizing the same strategy everywhere. However, with a few adjustments based on regional preferences, the company became a success outside of Europe.

Burt, Steve et al. “International Retailing as Embedded Business Models.” Journal of Economic Geography , vol. 16, no. 3, 2015, pp. 715-747, Web.

Mellahi, Kamel, and Jedrzej George Frynas. Global Strategic Management . Oxford University Press, 2015.

Olhager, Jan et al. “Design of Global Production and Distribution Networks.” International Journal of Physical Distribution & Logistics Management , vol. 45, no. 1/2, 2015, pp. 138-158, Web.

Prange, Christiane. Market Entry in China . Springer International Publishing, 2016.

Schlegelmilch, Bodo B. Global Marketing Strategy . Springer, 2016.

Steenkamp, Jan-Benedict. Global Brand Strategy . Palgrave Macmillan UK, 2017.

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IKEA’s Localization Strategy: A Masterclass in Global Expansion

• January 12, 2024

Table of Contents

The ikea localization strategy, ikea’s localization strategy: a delicate balance of standardization and adaptation, ikea’s localization strategy in china: adapting to local preferences, ikea’s localization strategy in india: embracing local customs and tastes, ikea’s localization strategy in japan: the importance of understanding local preferences, key takeaways from ikea’s localization strategy, accelingo: your partners in localization success.

In a world where companies are increasingly competing globally, the ability to tailor products and services to local markets is crucial for success . Thanks to their localization strategy, IKEA, the Swedish furniture giant, has mastered this art, becoming a household name in over 50 countries and amassing a staggering $42 billion in annual revenue.

IKEA’s international expansion success can be attributed to its unique localization strategy, which strikes a delicate balance between standardization and adaptation. The company maintains a core set of principles and values that resonate across cultures , but it also makes strategic adjustments to cater to local preferences and market conditions.

This localization approach has allowed IKEA to successfully navigate the diverse and ever-changing landscape of international business. From adapting its product designs to fit smaller Asian homes to partnering with local assembly services in China, IKEA has consistently demonstrated its ability to connect with consumers on a global scale .

In the realm of international business, localization is the art of adapting products, services, and marketing strategies to suit the specific needs and preferences of a target market. This involves a delicate balance between standardization, which ensures consistency and brand recognition, and adaptation, which enables a deeper connection with local consumers . IKEA, the Swedish furniture giant, has masterfully navigated this balance, becoming a global success story with over 450 stores in 52 countries, according to Statista .

Standardization versus Adaptation: Striking the Right Chord

Standardization, often associated with economies of scale, involves creating a consistent product or service offering across all markets. This approach can streamline operations, reduce costs, and enhance brand recognition. However, a purely standardized approach can fail to resonate with local preferences and cultural nuances , leading to missed opportunities and potential brand alienation.

Adaptation, on the other hand, involves tailoring products, services, and marketing messages to specific market contexts. This approach can foster deeper connections with local consumers, address cultural sensitivities, and enhance brand relevance. However, over-adaptation can lead to brand dilution , fragmentation of the global brand identity , and increased costs from localized production and marketing efforts.

IKEA’s Middle Ground: A Strategic Approach to Localization

IKEA has successfully navigated this standardization-adaptation dichotomy, adopting a hybrid approach that strikes a delicate balance between the two strategies. The company maintains a core set of design principles and values that underpin its global identity, such as its commitment to affordable, stylish furniture that can be assembled by consumers . However, IKEA also makes strategic adaptations to cater to local preferences and market conditions.

Examples of IKEA’s Localized Approach

IKEA’s localization efforts are evident in its product designs, store locations, and marketing strategies across different markets. In China, where many consumers prefer to have furniture assembled professionally, IKEA partnered with local assembly services to enhance customer convenience. In India, IKEA adapted its product range to include items more suited to local tastes and dietary habits , such as smaller furniture pieces and vegetarian dishes in the company’s restaurants. And in Japan, where smaller living spaces are common, IKEA introduced smaller-sized furniture designs that better fit the constraints of Japanese homes.

The Importance of Cultural Understanding

IKEA’s success in localization is deeply rooted in its commitment to understanding local cultures and customs. The company conducts extensive market research and cultural sensitivity training for its employees to ensure that its products, services, and marketing efforts align with local expectations. This deep cultural understanding has enabled IKEA to forge meaningful connections with consumers across the globe.

The Value of Localization for Businesses

IKEA’s localization strategy serves as a valuable case study for businesses seeking to expand internationally . By striking an effective balance between standardization and adaptation, companies can enhance their brand relevance, increase customer satisfaction, and gain a competitive edge in global markets .

IKEA’s entry into the Chinese market in 1998 marked a significant milestone in the company’s global expansion journey. However, the company’s initial attempts to replicate its successful Swedish model in China met with challenges due to cultural differences and consumer preferences .

Cultural Barriers to Overcome

One of the primary challenges IKEA faced in China was the cultural norm of having furniture professionally assembled. In Swedish culture, self-assembly is seen as a badge of honor, symbolizing resourcefulness and DIY capabilities. However, in China, furniture assembly is considered a time-consuming and undesirable task , often assigned to hired professionals.

This cultural difference posed a significant obstacle to IKEA’s core business model, which relies on customers assembling their own furniture. IKEA’s initial efforts to introduce self-assembly instructions in Chinese were met with resistance, as many consumers were hesitant to tackle the task themselves .

Partnering with Local Expertise

To address this cultural barrier and enhance customer convenience, IKEA made a strategic decision to partner with local furniture assembly services in China . This move proved to be a game-changer, allowing IKEA to tap into the existing expertise of local professionals while still maintaining its commitment to affordable furniture.

The partnership with local assembly services not only addressed customer preferences but also created new employment opportunities and strengthened IKEA’s ties with the Chinese community. As a result of this adaptation, IKEA’s sales in China skyrocketed, reaching $1.6 billion in 2019 .

Other Localized Adaptations in China

IKEA’s localization efforts in China extended beyond furniture assembly. The company carefully tailored its store locations to suit Chinese shopping habits , opting for central locations near public transportation hubs to cater to busy urbanites.

IKEA also adapted its product range to meet the specific needs of Chinese consumers. The company introduced smaller-sized furniture designs to fit the limited living spaces of many Chinese households, and it also expanded its selection of home appliances to include items more suited to local cooking and dining preferences .

The Success of IKEA’s Localization Strategy in China

IKEA’s success in China is a testament to the power of localization in global business . By understanding and adapting to local preferences, the company has successfully established itself as a leading furniture retailer in China, with over 36 stores and a strong online presence, as per IKEA .

IKEA’s experience in China highlights the importance of cultural sensitivity and adaptation in international business. By making strategic changes to its products, services, and marketing strategies, IKEA has successfully connected with Chinese consumers , demonstrating that localization is not just a matter of complying with local regulations but also about forging meaningful connections with local communities.

IKEA’s expansion into India in 2018 marked a significant milestone in the company’s global journey, opening doors to one of the world’s most populous and rapidly growing markets . However, the Indian market presented its unique set of challenges, including cultural nuances, regulatory hurdles, and a diverse consumer base.

Navigating Cultural Nuances and Regulatory Hurdles

India’s complex cultural landscape presented IKEA with a unique set of challenges. The country is home to a diverse range of religions, customs, and traditions , which IKEA needed to carefully consider in its product offerings and marketing strategies.

Additionally, the Indian market was characterized by complex regulatory frameworks and logistical challenges, requiring IKEA to adapt its operations to comply with local standards and ensure efficient supply chains.

Adapting to Indian Consumer Preferences

To succeed in India, IKEA recognized the importance of tailoring its products, marketing, and customer experience to resonate with local sensibilities. The company conducted extensive market research to understand Indian consumer preferences, cultural norms, and dietary habits.

Tailoring Products and Menus to Local Tastes

One of the most notable adaptations IKEA made in India was the expansion of its product range to cater to local tastes and preferences. The company introduced smaller-sized furniture pieces to suit the compact living spaces of many Indian homes , and it also incorporated elements of Indian design and craftsmanship into its products.

In addition to product adaptations, IKEA also made significant changes to its food offerings in India. The company’s restaurants in India feature a menu that includes a wide variety of vegetarian and vegan options , reflecting the dietary preferences of a large portion of the Indian population.

Pricing Strategy for Affordable Furniture

IKEA’s commitment to affordability, a core tenet of its business model, was particularly important in India, where price sensitivity is a prevalent consumer trait . The company carefully considered pricing strategies to ensure its products remained accessible to a broad range of Indian consumers.

Localization Efforts in Marketing and Customer Experience

IKEA’s localization efforts extended beyond product design and menus; the company also adapted its marketing strategies and customer service approach to Indian sensibilities . The company employed local marketing campaigns that resonated with Indian cultural references and values, and it also trained its employees to provide culturally sensitive customer service.

The Success of IKEA’s Localization Strategy in India

IKEA’s efforts to embrace local customs and tastes have been met with remarkable success in India. The company’s stores have been warmly welcomed by Indian consumers , and its sales have grown steadily since its entry into the market. In 2020, IKEA opened its second store in India, and plans for further expansion are underway according to INGKA .

IKEA’s experience in India serves as a compelling example of the power of localization in international business. The company’s ability to adapt its products, services, and marketing strategies to align with local preferences has been instrumental in its success in this challenging yet promising market.

IKEA’s journey into the Japanese market in 1974 marked a pivotal moment in the company’s global expansion strategy. However, the company’s initial foray into Japan was met with challenges , highlighting the importance of understanding and adapting to local preferences in international business.

Initial Setback and the Over-Reliance on Standardization

IKEA’s initial attempt to replicate its successful Swedish model in Japan failed to resonate with local consumers. The company’s standardized product designs, often characterized by larger sizes, were incompatible with the compact living spaces of many Japanese homes . Additionally, IKEA’s marketing campaigns, which emphasized self-assembly, conflicted with Japanese cultural norms of craftsmanship and professional convenience.

As a result of these missteps, IKEA’s sales in Japan were initially sluggish , and the company was forced to withdraw from the market in 1986 .

Learning from Failures and Embracing Local Preferences

After withdrawing from Japan, IKEA took a step back to reassess its approach and make necessary adjustments. The company conducted extensive market research to understand Japanese consumer preferences , cultural nuances, and design sensibilities.

Strategic Comeback with Localized Adaptations

In 2006, IKEA made a strategic comeback to Japan, this time with a localized approach that emphasized adaptation to local preferences. The company introduced smaller-sized furniture designs, tailored to the limited living spaces of Japanese households . Additionally, IKEA partnered with local assembly services to offer convenient and professional furniture assembly services, aligning with Japanese preferences.

Localized Marketing Campaigns and Cultural Sensitivity

IKEA’s marketing campaigns in Japan also underwent a transformation, incorporating local cultural references and values. The company used traditional Japanese art and design elements in its store décor and marketing materials , creating a more immersive and culturally appropriate experience for Japanese consumers.

Continuous Research and Adaptation

IKEA’s experience in Japan highlights the importance of continuous research and adaptation in the face of cultural and market shifts. The company recognized that globalization does not mean homogenization ; rather, it requires a deep understanding of local preferences and a willingness to adapt to the specific needs of each market.

The Success of Adaptation: IKEA’s Thriving Presence in Japan

IKEA’s localized approach has been instrumental in its success in Japan. The company has established a strong presence in the market, with over 10 stores and a growing customer base . IKEA’s sales in Japan have consistently increased since its comeback , demonstrating the power of localization in connecting with local consumers.

IKEA’s experience in Japan serves as a valuable lesson for businesses seeking to expand internationally. By understanding and adapting to local preferences, companies can successfully navigate the complexities of global markets and build strong relationships with consumers across borders.

IKEA’s remarkable success in expanding its global footprint can be attributed to its unwavering commitment to localization , a process of adapting products, services, and marketing strategies to suit the specific needs and preferences of a target market.

Accelingo is a leading translation and localization agency with a proven track record of helping businesses thrive in the global marketplace. With over a decade of experience and a team of highly skilled linguists and cultural experts, Accelingo provides comprehensive localization services that enable companies to seamlessly adapt their products, services, and marketing strategies to local markets.

Accelingo’s Localization Expertise

On top of our language translation services , at Accelingo we offer a wide range of localization services , including:

• Expert translation: Accelingo’s team of native speakers delivers accurate and culturally sensitive translations across a diverse range of industries and languages.
• Cultural adaptation: Accelingo goes beyond mere translation to ensure that content resonates with local audiences, considering cultural nuances, sensitivities, and market trends.
• Localization strategy development: Accelingo helps businesses develop comprehensive localization strategies that align with their overall business goals and marketing objectives.

As you embark on your global expansion journey, let IKEA’s localization playbook serve as your guide. By embracing a deep understanding of local cultures, continuous adaptation, and a balanced approach to standardization and localization, you can unlock the key to success in the ever-evolving global marketplace . At Accelingo, we’re ready to partner with you every step of the way, from market research and strategy development to expert translation and cultural adaptation . Contact us today for a free consultation and let’s transform your global ambitions into reality.

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IKEA in China: A “Glocal” Marketing Strategy

• First Online: 15 May 2016

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• Veronica Giunta 2  

Part of the book series: Management for Professionals ((MANAGPROF))

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The present case study examines a strategic issue encountered by IKEA, the giant Swedish furnish company, while expanding into the Chinese market. After years from its entrance in the Asian country, IKEA was still struggling to achieve positive finiancial results. A lack of understanding of the local peculiarities of the market prevented the company from implementing an adequate targeting strategy and occupying a strong competitive position in the market. As a consequence, the global marketing strategy adopted proved to be a failure in the Chinese market. IKEA was thus forced to reconsider not only its marketing strategy but also the universality of its business proposition.

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Giunta, V. (2016). IKEA in China: A “Glocal” Marketing Strategy. In: Prange, C. (eds) Market Entry in China. Management for Professionals. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-29139-0_8

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• Case Studies

How a Smart Localization Strategy Helped IKEA to Conquer the World

It’s not common for a 17-year-old to set up a successful company. It’s even rarer for the same person to keep growing the business over a lifetime, until it becomes the world’s leading brand.

This is the story of Ingvar Kamprad, the founder of IKEA.

Although IKEA is now synonymous with self-assembled furniture, Kamprad was not an inventor or a designer. In fact, IKEA started as a mail order business.

However, Kamprad was a shrewd operator who understood the potential benefits of entering new markets . Here’s a look at how the localization strategy  of IKEA helped to build a $42 billion Goliath — along with the takeaways for your business.

The IKEA Localization Strategy

The first IKEA store opened in 1958, in Ingvar Kamprad’s native Sweden. In the 1960s, stores appeared in other Scandinavian countries.

By the 1970s and 1980s, IKEA started to adopt an aggressive international expansion plan. In the space of a few years, stores opened in Japan, Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, the U.S, France, Spain, Italy, and the U.K.

Launching into so many countries so quickly could have been a disaster. But IKEA made it work thanks to a unique mix of two strategies: standardization and localization.

The IKEA Playbook: Standardization and Localization

Some multinational companies find success in new markets through standardization. This is where large corporations try to deliver a consistent experience to customers, no matter where they are in the world. Many designer brands fall into this category.

An alternative model is localization . This is where a business develops unique products and employs optimized marketing for each culture.

Nestlé is a prominent example of a multinational business using localization effectively — we actually put together another case study, which you can read here .

IKEA is somewhere in the middle between standardization and localization.

On the one hand, the company maintains the same branding across continents. Whether you are in Miami or Manila, you will get a similar experience when you walk into an IKEA store.

Everything from the layout to the product range will feel familiar to regular customers. It is a key selling point of the brand.

But IKEA does also consider local trends. The company employs researchers to interview thousands of people, and the information they collect is used to make small adaptations in each market.

For a better understanding of what this mix looks like in practice, let’s take a look at some examples.

The Challenge of China

One of the key selling points of IKEA furniture is that every product comes in kit form. The idea is to assemble the parts yourself, following the supplied visual instructions.

In many areas of the world, people are happy to complete this task in return for a lower price point. But in China, assembling your own furniture is the opposite of a status symbol. Most people prefer to employ someone else to complete home maintenance tasks such as furniture assembly.

This left IKEA with two choices: adapt their model or miss out on one of the world’s biggest markets. Unsurprisingly, the company chose the first option.

The solution IKEA came up with was to partner with Chinese firms that provided furniture assembly services. Customers shopping online could choose their provider at checkout.

IKEA made many more small changes for the Chinese market, as well.

Instead of the huge suburban stores seen in other countries, the company opened stores in more central areas near public transport routes, and mini stores within larger shopping centers.

Aside from furniture, IKEA is famous for food. In some Chinese provinces, the meatballs and ice cream are joined by dim sum and other local favorites.

As a result of these changes, IKEA now generates over $2 billion a year in China from 36 stores and a strong online presence. That accounts for 4.8% of the company’s worldwide sales .

An Introduction to India

Like China, India has a vast population and a growing middle class. However, it is a notoriously difficult market to enter for foreign companies.

For a long time, IKEA held off entering the Indian market. Until 2012, direct foreign investment in retail was restricted by the Indian government. Even after those laws were lifted, it was deemed too risky even to attempt a launch.

That changed in 2018, when IKEA invested about $150 million into opening its first Indian store in the city of Hyderabad.

When that first store opened, staff waved Indian flags as they welcomed customers. In the background, the Gorkha Rifles Band of the Indian Army played a well-known patriotic song. India is a proud nation, so these small touches made quite an impression.

The population of Hyderabad is approximately two-thirds Hindu and one- third Muslim. So in the 1,000-seat restaurant, the usual pork meatballs were replaced with chicken and vegetarian meals.

In the main store, you can find products that have been created especially for the Indian market. For instance, the kitchen section includes appliances for making traditional Indian cuisine.

Pricing is not normally part of localization, but it definitely is in India. Consumers are frugal wherever possible, so it’s important to make the basics very affordable. IKEA in India offers over 1,000 products for Rs. 200 (~$2.69) or less.

It’s still early days for IKEA’s launch in India. But already, the Swedish retailer has embraced the local customs and tastes.

Jumping Into Japan

Back in 1974, Japan became the first country outside Europe to host an IKEA store.

It was a bold move at that time, as very few retailers had operated internationally. Localization definitely wasn’t a major consideration.

Unfortunately for IKEA, the lack of cultural understanding caused major problems. In particular, the standardized product range did not fit well with Japanese homes. The furniture was simply far too big.

After 12 years of slumping sales, IKEA decided to withdraw.

Twenty years later, the company made a comeback in the form of a store in Funabashi City, and later, a megastore in Tokyo. The new outlet offered localized versions of the IKEA product range, featuring smaller designs that would fit into even the smallest urban apartment.

Through research, IKEA also discovered that Japanese consumers were happy to pay more for greater convenience. So, as with China, the retail giant started to offer delivery and assembly as an added service.

These adaptations have made the second coming of IKEA in Japan much more successful. At the time of writing, there are now nine stores in the country.

The Philippines

It took IKEA a long time to become established in Japan. The current executive board will no doubt be hoping that the same process takes much less time in The Philippines .

The first store opened in Manila in 2020. To give the launch some impetus, IKEA created a branded “Jeepney” bus. This form of public transport is a cultural icon in the city, much like the yellow taxis of New York and the red buses of London.

It’s too early to tell for sure whether IKEA’s clever marketing stunt has worked. But we can definitely say that this remarkable retailer has fully embraced localization.

Lessons in Localization: 3 Key Takeaways

Given the scale and complexity of IKEA’s business model, you could easily write a full-length case study for each of the locations mentioned above.

Of course, that would be a lot to wade through. Plus, much of the content would not apply to your business.

So instead, here are some of the key localization lessons  we can learn from IKEA:

1) Research Is Vital

It would be fair to say that IKEA didn’t do enough homework before entering the Japanese market in 1974. If someone had only talked to a few dozen locals, it would have been obvious that big bookcases and chairs were not going to be popular.

In comparison with the 1970s, research today is very easy. Localization experts  will be able to inform you about similar cultural differences, and surveys can fill in the details.

If you are going to enter a foreign market, it is absolutely essential to do this stuff properly. Any cutting of corners here is likely to bite you in the end.

2) Listening to Your Customers Helps a Lot

Of course, research can’t tell you everything. Sometimes, you might put a product or service into the public domain and find that it’s not very popular.

Without some intervention, this could spell disaster for your operations in a foreign country. But what IKEA proved in India was that feedback can guide you away from troubled waters.

When meatballs were unpopular in Hyderabad, managers adjusted the menu to meet local expectations.

3) Localization and Standardization Can Work Together

In many respects, localization and standardization are polar opposites. One involves creating many different versions of products, while the other is about streamlining your operations.

However, IKEA has proven time and time again that localization and standardization can work together.

In general, the company uses a standardized model in order to keep costs low. However, small concessions are made where appropriate in order to grow the business in new markets.

Localization is applied as necessary, and internationalization helps to improve the experience for customers in other countries. For example, the visual assembly sheet has no written instructions — so anyone can understand it.

How to Start Localizing Your Business

Whether you run a multinational retail business or a small software company, a good localization strategy can open up huge opportunities in new markets.

The secret to making it work is using the right service provider and tools for the job.

At OneSky , we offer an end-to-end localization workflow that integrates with websites, apps , and even games . You can access over 1,000 expert human translators  through our platform, along with machine translation  and on-device testing.

Want to learn more? Download our free ebook guide, T he Complete Guide to Localization Management ,  and sign up  to try OneSky free.

Mark Myerson

With a background in tech journalism, Mark has written about everything from flying cars to augmented reality. Nowadays, he focuses on creating captivating content for businesses in the tech space. When he's not at his desk, you can usually find him serving aces on the beach volleyball court.

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How IKEA Evolved Its Strategy While Keeping Its Culture Constant

If you’re leading your team through big changes, this episode is for you.

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The Swedish furniture maker IKEA found huge success producing quality furniture at affordable prices. But in 2017, the company was at a crossroads. Its beloved founder had died, and the exponential rise of online shopping posed a new challenge.

In this episode, Harvard Business School professors Juan Alcacer and Cynthia Montgomery break down how IKEA developed, selected, and embraced new strategic initiatives, while fortifying its internal culture. They studied how IKEA made big changes for the future and wrote a business case about it.

They explain how the company reworked its franchise agreements to ensure consistency among its global stores. They also discuss how IKEA balanced global growth with localization, developing all-new supply chains.

Key episode topics include: strategy, growth strategy, disruptive innovation, emerging markets, leadership transition, competitive strategy, company culture, succession.

HBR On Strategy curates the best case studies and conversations with the world’s top business and management experts, to help you unlock new ways of doing business. New episodes every week.

• Listen to the original HBR Cold Call episode: IKEA Navigates the Future While Staying True to Its Culture (2021)
• Find more episodes of Cold Call
• Discover 100 years of Harvard Business Review articles, case studies, podcasts, and more at HBR.org .

HANNAH BATES: Welcome to HBR On Strategy , case studies and conversations with the world’s top business and management experts, hand-selected to help you unlock new ways of doing business. The Swedish furniture maker IKEA found huge success producing quality furniture at affordable prices. But in 2017, they were at a crossroads. Their beloved founder had died, and the exponential rise of online shopping posed a new challenge. Today, we bring you a conversation about how to develop, select, and embrace a new strategic initiative – with Harvard Business School professors Juan Alcacer and Cynthia Montgomery. They studied how IKEA made big changes for the future while fortifying its internal culture and its external identity. In this episode, you’ll learn how the company reworked its franchise agreements to create a more managerial and modern culture, and ensure consistency among its global stores. You’ll also learn how they balanced global growth with localization – including new supply chains. This episode originally aired on Cold Call in June 2021. Here it is.

BRIAN KENNY: For some of the world’s most celebrated founders, the entrepreneurial drive kicks off at an early age. Mark Zuckerberg developed Facebook in his Harvard dorm room at the age of 18. Michael Dell made $200,000 upgrading computers in his first year of business, he was 19. Before Jack Dorsey founded Twitter, he created a dispatch routing platform for taxis in his hometown of St. Louis, while he was in middle school. But then there’s Ingvar Kamprad who began selling matches at the age of five to neighbors in his rural Swedish homestead. By the age of seven, he was buying matches in bulk in Stockholm and selling them at a profit back home. Ingvar learned early on that you can sell things at a low price and still make a good profit. A philosophy that fueled the success of his next business venture, IKEA. Today on Cold Call , we welcome professors, Juan Alcacer, and Cynthia Montgomery to discuss their case entitled, “What IKEA Do We Want?” I’m your host, Brian Kenny, and you’re listening to Cold Call on the HBR Presents network. Juan Alcacer’s research focuses on the international strategies of firms in the telecommunications industry and Cynthia Montgomery studies the unique roles leaders play in developing and implementing strategy. They are both members of the Strategy unit at Harvard Business School. And thank you both for joining me today. It’s great to have you on the show.

CYNTHIA MONTGOMERY: Thanks Brian.

JUAN ALCACER: Thank you for having us.

BRIAN KENNY: You’re both here for the first time, so we’ll try and make it painless so we can get you to come back on. I think people are going to love hearing about IKEA and getting an inside view. Most of us have had that experience of being like mice in a maze. When you go into an IKEA store, you are compelled to walk through the whole place. It’s really brilliant, so many of the touches and things that they’ve done. And this case helps to shine a light, I think, on some of those decisions and how they were made. I had no idea how old the company was. So just starting with its history, it’s going to be good to hear about that. Juan, I want you to start, if you could, by telling us what would your cold call be to start this case in the classroom?

JUAN ALCACER: I like to start the case, bringing in the emotions of the students and their relationship with IKEA. So most of our students have had some experience with IKEA. So I’d just start asking how many of you have been in IKEA, and then I’d start asking why? Why did you go to IKEA? And this time telling you all the things that you just mentioned, for instance, walking through the maze, going to eat the meatballs. So they started bringing all these small, decisions that were made through the years, that made IKEA, IKEA.

BRIAN KENNY: Who doesn’t love the meatballs? Cynthia, let me ask you, you’re both in the Strategy unit at Harvard Business School, there’s a lot of strategy underlying this whole case. I’m curious as to what made you decide to look at IKEA and sort of, how does it relate to your scholarship and the things that you think about; the questions you try to answer?

CYNTHIA MONTGOMERY: I’m really interested in the choices firms make about who they will be and why they will matter? The core questions at the identity of a company. In 1976 Kamprad laid out very, very carefully. What IKEA would do, who it would be. He identified its product range. The customers it would serve, the company’s pricing policy, all in a document called, The Testament of a Furniture Dealer. And he described it as, “the essence of our work.” And 45 years later, it was still required reading for all of the IKEA’s employees. It’s probably the most compelling statement of corporate purpose I’ve ever seen.

BRIAN KENNY: Remarkable in a company that’s based on furniture. It was a very, sort of powerful thing. There’s an exhibit in the case that shows the whole Testament. Maybe we can dig a little bit into the history here. I alluded to the fact that it’s been around for a long time. Cynthia, just tell us a little bit about how the company came to be and how it evolved over time.

CYNTHIA MONTGOMERY: IKEA started actually as a mail-order business in Sweden and in the late 1940s Kamprad noticed that despite a lot of demand for furniture, agreements between the furniture manufacturers and retailers were keeping furniture prices real high. He was interested in a different set of customers. And he decided that to attract farmers and working class customers, he needed to be able to offer quality furniture at lower prices.

BRIAN KENNY: What were some of the early challenges that they faced. I’m also curious a little bit about the Swedish culture and how that sort of factors in here. Because there was definitely undertones of that factoring into the way they set this up.

CYNTHIA MONTGOMERY: It’s a virtue to be frugal and to be very careful about how you spend your money. And that made a huge impression, particularly given his background, growing up on a farm for Kamprad, he decided he really wanted to lower the prices of furniture and began to do so. And it turned out that there was a very, very strong response from other furniture manufacturers who basically said that they were going to boycott him. They wouldn’t allow him into their furniture fairs, him personally, as well as his company. And so in turn, what happened was that they also pressured local suppliers not to sell to a IKEA anymore, basically trying to force him out of the market. And what happened was that that actually drove Kamprad to Poland as a source of supply because local firms wouldn’t supply him anymore. And in the process, he discovered that Polish manufacturers could actually make furniture at far, far lower costs than Swedish manufacturers. And that essentially gave IKEA a cost structure that was more like a difference in kind, than a difference in degree. And that proved enormously important to building almost insurmountable competitive advantage for IKEA.

BRIAN KENNY: He was also really keen with innovations early on that things like the restaurant area and the childcare space, what were some of the insights that drove him to make those kinds of decisions?

CYNTHIA MONTGOMERY: One of the things that he decided quite early on is that he wanted to have the stores located out of town. And the reason is because land there was much, much cheaper. So he built these ,as you described earlier, Brian, these gigantic stores on the outskirts of town and they had lots and lots of square footage and lots and lots of merchandise, but you know, it took time to get there. It took time to shop there and what he wanted to do was make it worth it for the customers to make the trip, worth it for them to spend a lot of time in the stores. So he decided to add restaurants and the now famous meatballs, which come in several flavors, actually around the world, and to add childcare centers that would care for young children while the parents shopped. On the low cost front, he was innovative in other ways, he actually borrowed the idea of flat pack from another innovator, but he’s the one that actually brought it to life in such a big way. Then he discovered that if you let the clients go in and pick off the furniture packs themselves, they could even save more money and lower the costs in the store.

BRIAN KENNY: So they have a pretty complicated org structure, when we start to dig into some of the nuance of the case. Juan, could you describe for us, how they’re set up from an org structure standpoint?

JUAN ALCACER: You have to realize that coming from Sweden, which is one of the countries with the highest taxation for corporations in the world. So early on, they decided to find some organization structure and legal structure that would allow them to lower taxes. And that created basically an ownership based on foundations, based in the Netherlands. And they decided, early on, to separate the company into pieces. One is the franchise store, which is basically running the brand and running the management image of the brand. And then the operational part of the company, which is a franchisee. And for many years, those two things were separated. The franchisee was also in charge of manufacturing and so forth. So it was a very strange structure, that was put in place in part by the charisma and the leadership style of Ingvar Kamprad. If I can go back to your question about the Swedish culture. One of the things that, at least for me, is very striking is that when you look at multinationals, there’s a thing called the liability of being a foreigner, which means that when you go to another country, you have some disadvantages. And you try to mitigate that liability of being a foreigner, by pretending to be of that particular country. IKEA went with a totally different approach, they’re totally Swedish. Names of their products are impossible to pronounce. The fact that they have meatballs, they have their Swedish flags all over the place. They embrace the Swedish spirit as a part of the brand. You don’t see many multinationals with that. That makes IKEA what it is today.

BRIAN KENNY: I definitely think that’s part of the appeal here in the US, for sure, is people being exposed to the Swedish culture in a way they never had before. What is the culture of the company like, what’s it like to work there?

JUAN ALCACER: We went to both the Netherlands and to Sweden and we had a great time. It’s a very egalitarian culture. All the VP’s, high-level managers, none of them have an assistant. Only the CEO has an assistant. They don’t have offices, so everybody shares an open space. The whole place is decorated with IKEA furniture, everybody talks to each other by their first name. It’s very collegial, very friendly.

CYNTHIA MONTGOMERY: I would add to that. I think IKEA was incredibly generous to us, in the sense that they shared all kinds of confidential, internal documents and were really willing to talk in a very open and forthright way, about both their strengths and their challenges, which was incredibly refreshing. And as Juan said, that it was very egalitarian, and not surprisingly IKEA was one of the first companies to embrace democratic design. And that spirit was everywhere in the company.

BRIAN KENNY: Cynthia, what would you say are some of the keys to their success over the years?

CYNTHIA MONTGOMERY: I’d say that IKEA basically picked a lane and stuck with it. They had clarified, as I said at the top of the show, very, very carefully about what they wanted to do, who they wanted to be. And what they said is, look, this is what we’re going to be about. We’re going to offer an extensive range of practical, well-designed furnishings at low prices. And we’re going to serve the many, not the few. And the many are those with limited financial resources. When you have such clarity about what you want to do, then you can set out and try to maximize how you approach that. Essentially IKEA built a system, to do exactly that, extremely well and their distinctiveness made them truly an iconic firm. And it’s great when you talk with students about, what’s the purpose of your business?, What are you doing? What’s interesting is that oftentimes they can describe much more carefully what IKEA is doing, than what their own businesses doing. The last thing I would add, is that as Juan one said, they’re really synonymous with Sweden and they put that right out there. It’s almost like the way that Coca-Cola is synonymous with the US. And that has been a big part of their advantage.

BRIAN KENNY: Okay. So we’ve painted a very rosy picture for IKEA, but it’s an HBS case. So there’s tension, inevitably. So let’s dig in a little bit to where the case brings us. I’m going to mispronounce his name. I hope I don’t, but Torbjörn Lööf is that close?

CYNTHIA MONTGOMERY: Yeah.

BRIAN KENNY: He is the protagonist in the case. And he is stepping into a leadership role here really after an iconic leader has stepped back and that’s a challenge. Any time that happens, and a leader has to step in. And as he starts to sort of peek underneath the hood a little bit, he starts to see some of the challenges that IKEA is facing in this now seventh decade, I guess, of their existence. So Juan, maybe you can set that up for us a little bit.

JUAN ALCACER: It’s not only that he is stepping in the shadow of a leader that created the company. It’s that the company is still controlled by the family. So this is not a public firm, this is a private firm. So, he had to basically walk a very, very thin line, trying to take IKEA towards the future, but still preserving the past. And he had basically two main tasks, one is short term, that organization restructure that we were talking about, that was very complicated was created products. As I said before, the franchisee, which is basically the one that was running all the operations, was also the manufacturer. But there were other franchises. So for instance, the operations in Middle East are run by another company. So they wanted to create a system of transparency, that all the franchises are run the same way. When you have a franchisee that has basically represented 80% of your sales, and the ones that are representing 2% or 3%, there is an imbalance of power. So they tried to create a structure that is more managerial, that is more modern, that will allow to create incentives for new franchisees to come into the system. So that transaction was basically transferring production and transferring the functions that were in the franchisee back to the franchisor. There were 25,000 people that have to move from one place to another.

BRIAN KENNY: Wow.

JUAN ALCACER: They didn’t move physically, but in terms of the legal status they shift around. And the second is to bring IKEA to the world. What they observed is that there were some changes in demographics, they were targeting the low-income, what they call the thin wallets of the world, but it turned out that people that would go to IKEA are not thin wallets anymore. These people have already moved towards the middle-class and they also have this whole, to increase the number of consumers to three billion, and that meant that they have to basically grow globally, at a rate that they have never done, before they had two or three markets, like China and India. They also have the issue of eCommerce, to pick up and every retailer in the world is dealing with that. So, it’s two steps. One, getting the house in order, and second one, creating a path for the future for IKEA to become an icon for the next 75 years.

BRIAN KENNY: Yeah. And I also think at some level it’s hard to sustain that original mission that they set out with, when you’re trying to expand so rapidly and bring in a much larger audience. Cynthia, I don’t know if you have other observations about these changes they were facing.

CYNTHIA MONTGOMERY: Absolutely. Because one thing is that you can look at the challenges that came from expanding into new geographies. But the other thing that they found in a large study that they did, is that there were challenges in their core business as well, that the countries they’d been in for a number of years, and what I’ll call the big blue box stores, mostly in developed countries. What they found is that increasingly many of their customers in those markets wanted new conveniences. They wanted stores that were located closer to city centers because a number of people say in their late twenties, early thirties are not driving and don’t have cars. And they found that there was an increasing demand for delivery and assembly services for shopping online. These trends are worrying to a huge number of retailers, but particularly a challenge to IKEA because low price, low, low price, so low that that people can recognize the difference. That being at the heart of their strategy. And customers’ willingness to spend time getting to the store, hauling furniture about, ultimately assembling it. Those are at the very, very heart of their low-cost strategy and their very distinctive value proposition. It was a big challenge within the developed markets as well.

BRIAN KENNY: And depending on where they went in the world, a different set of challenges pops up almost everywhere. Juan, you mentioned earlier that they pushed back against localization, but is that a sustainable strategy? When you’re trying to go into entirely new markets like China and India.

JUAN ALCACER: The beauty of IKEA is that they found a segment across different cultures that was very similar. College students the United States, that needed to have furniture for a few years only, it could be young couples that are opening a new house, in some places it’s immigrants that are moving from one country to another country that need to buy furniture, but they don’t have the money to do so. So there was this very common segment across the world that they were able to then define, that allows them to have basically 80% of their line, of their range, is common across countries. And they have around 10% to 20% that varies by country. Now, when they go to China, and they go to India, they find that the changes have to be of a higher scale for three reasons. One, the tastes are different, also the materials, when you are going to India and you are going to houses that are in a high humidity environment, the type of wood that you can use is different. Now you start, not only changing the look of the product but you also have to change how you made it. And the third big challenge is when you look at what is defined as thin wallet, in these markets, is really thin. It’s not thin wallet in Sweden, it’s not thin wallet in the United States. So, you have to go to prices that are really, really low. And that means that you are already a low cost producer but you have to go even lower. That means that you have to change your supplier, so it starts changing the fundamental parts of the business model that they created through the years.

BRIAN KENNY: And it could probably, pretty easily, get away from you. So this does call for a strategy. Cynthia, can you describe for us what the three roads forward are? This was sort of underpinned their strategy going forward and how they were going to deal with some of these challenges.

CYNTHIA MONTGOMERY: Basically, the three roads, the first was affordability, as Juan said, this isn’t affordability in the way that they, at the level at which they’ve traditionally thought about it. This is affordability for wallets that are either very thin or actually where the willingness to pay just isn’t as high, because they’re accustomed to having goods that are at very low prices. So they wanted to attack affordability for people who could not afford IKEA today. They cared a lot about accessibility. They’ve got to reach and interact with people where they are. And the last is sustainability, and they felt really, really strongly about this. And I think much in line with what you see with a number of other countries in Europe, that they cared a lot about the sustainability of the products and wanted to make a positive impact for people, society and the planet. And they’re taking on all three of these aspirations at once.

BRIAN KENNY: You have written many cases, I’m sure that parallel this, what are some other firms that have faced similar challenges and maybe figured out a way to deal with the same sets of challenges?

JUAN ALCACER: The challenge of going overseas, we didn’t write cases about multinationals for many years. They always have this tension between coordination in headquarters and adaptability in each one of the subsidiaries. So IKEA was very good at playing that game for many, many years. In a way they were going to countries that were somehow similar to Sweden. Now that they are venturing to countries that are farther away in many dimensions, not only physically, but also in terms of economic distribution, in terms of taste. They are seeing this tension to be amplified. We have seen that in many companies, Procter and Gamble has been doing that for years and years, Unilever has been doing that for years and years. IKEA has done it for 75 years. They went overseas very early on. But now the challenge is a little bit higher. The other challenge is that Cynthia also mentioned, which is basically adapting to new technologies and new demographics. Every retailer is facing that. Any supermarket, any chain that has been selling in brick and mortar is facing those challenges. So, what is interesting about IKEA is that they are facing these all at the same time and they’re facing this during the process of transition from the leader that created the company to a new set of managers that are more professional and are not part of the family.

BRIAN KENNY: You mentioned technology. I’m just curious, the role that the internet plays in this, because now everybody can see, you know, through YouTube and other things, what the experience is like from one place to the other, and how important is consistency across all those geographies, versus a little bit of localization to make it feel a little bit more like this is the China version of IKEA versus the European version of IKEA. Cynthia, do you have thoughts on that?

CYNTHIA MONTGOMERY: That’s the real challenge here in the sense that, how do you take this whole model that has been developed over so many years? And it’s very, very hard to imitate, which has given them a lot of strength over the years, but when the environment changes, instead of responding in a piecemeal way to all kinds of external stimuli, it’s how do you take this whole model and evolve it in some coherent way that stays true to the iconic sense of who IKEA is? I really see it fundamentally, as an existential question for IKEA.

BRIAN KENNY: Such a great point. Look, I want to thank both of you. This has been a really interesting discussion about a brand that we all know and have experienced many times firsthand. I have one more question for each of you before we part ways. And that would be if there’s one thing you want people to take away from this case, what would it be? Juan, let’s start with you.

JUAN ALCACER: What I would like listeners to take from this, is we have this mentality of growth, growth, growth, and expanding and doing different things, and when you look at IKEA, you have to wonder, is it better that IKEA stays doing what they do well, or do they have to keep growing and entering all these markets and adapt to overseas. We have this basic assumption that growth at any cost should be the goal. I would like the listeners, when they look at the case and think about the cases, to question that very basic assumption.

BRIAN KENNY: Cynthia?

CYNTHIA MONTGOMERY: One of the things about IKEA that I think it’s really, really important to know is that they really brought something different to the world and they did it in a very compelling way. So at the heart, to do something that’s distinctive, that adds value. It comes through really strong in the IKEA story. At the same time, when the environment changes, how do you evolve, is really challenging. And so the fact that they’re being so open in how they’re confronting this, I think there’s a lot to learn there. It’s a challenge. I think it’s really important to remember what’s at the heart of this company, is that they’re really bringing something that’s very unique and they need to continue to do that.

BRIAN KENNY: Juan Alcacer, Cynthia Montgomery, thank you so much for joining me. The case is called, “What IKEA do we want?” Thanks again.

JUAN ALCACER: Thank you.

HANNAH BATES: You just heard Harvard Business School professors Juan Alcacer and Cynthia Montgomery in conversation with Brian Kenny on Cold Call .  We’ll be back next Wednesday with another hand-picked conversation about business strategy from the Harvard Business Review. If you found this episode helpful, share it with your friends and colleagues, and follow our show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. While you’re there, be sure to leave us a review. We’re a production of the Harvard Business Review. If you want more podcasts, articles, case studies, books, and videos like this, find it all at HBR dot org. This episode was produced by Anne Saini, and me, Hannah Bates. Ian Fox is our editor. Special thanks to Maureen Hoch, Adi Ignatius, Karen Player, Ramsey Khabbaz, Nicole Smith, Anne Bartholomew, and you – our listener. See you next week.

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An interaction approach to global sourcing: A case study of IKEA

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Globalization of IKEA Essay Example

• Pages: 2 (422 words)
• Published: February 18, 2017
• Type: Essay

A case study on globalization of IKEA

Jean Oct. 15. 2010 IKEA which may be the world’s most successful global retail has grown into a global cult brand with 230 stores in 33 countries that host 410 million shoppers. To achieve global success, IKEA took some actions, for example, in order to avoid the costs associated with shipping the product all over the world. IKEA works with suppliers in each of the company’s big market and IKEA had to adapt it offerings to the tastes and preference of consumers in different countries. Besides, globalization of market and production are also an important factors of IKEA’s achievement.

1. The first question: how has the globalization of market benefited IKEA?

The globalization of market refers to the merging of historically distinct and separate national markets into one huge global marketplace. Fa

lling barriers to cross-border trade have more easier to sell internationally, so it is easier for IKEA to grow into a global cult brand with 230 stores in 33 countries and have 5 suppliers of the frames in Europe, plus 3 in the United States and two in China.

Because a fewer barriers to cross-border trade. IKEA can easily to open a store in other countries.

2. The second question: how has the globalization of production benefited IKEA?

The globalization of production refers to sourcing of goods and services from locations around the globe to take advantage of national differences in the cost and quality of factors of productions, IKEA did a good job, in order to reduce the cost of cotton slipcovers, IKEA has concentrated production in four core suppliers in China. The resulting efficiencies from these global sourcing decisions enabled IKEA

to reduce the price of the Klippen by some 40 present between 1995 and 2005, because in China we have cheaper labour and lower price of source, it will reduce the cost of production in IKEA, thereby allow IKEA to compete more effectively.

3. The third question: What does the IKEA story teach you about the limits of treating the entire world as a single integrated global marketplace?

In my opinion, the limits of treating the entire world as a single integrated global marketplace is national difference in tastes and preference. Because IKEA entered the United States in early 1990s ,the company soon found its European-style offerings didn’t always resonate with American consumers, glasses were too small, curtains too short, and the sales was low, it is obvious that tastes and preference play an important role in the globalization market. And we should take more attention on the taste and preference difference.

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