CASE STUDY IKEA
The first few years of the twenty-first century were difficult for
IKEA, the U$31 billion global furniture powerhouse based in Sweden.
The Euro’s strength dampened financial results, as did an economic
downturn in Central Europe. The company faced increasing
competition from hypermarkets, “do-it-yourself” retailers such as
Walmart, and supermarkets that were expanding into home
furnishings. Looking to the future, CEO Anders Dahlvig is stressing
three areas for improvement: product assortment, customer service,
and product availability. With stores...