An analysis of the IKEA Furniture Company

            IKEA, a globally renowned furniture store, is established based on the idea of offering efficient, well-designed and low-cost furniture items. The name IKEA originates from the name of its establishing leader, Ingvar Kamprad from South Norway. IKEA had a humble beginning in 1943 on Kampradʼs little town and later expanded to Scandinavian and in European nations, North America, Japan Hawaiian to Russia and Ukraine. Today, it has ended up being one the world’s best suppliers in furniture (Palepu 59).  This study report will focus on a complete analysis of IKEA by using various approaches and study design. This is inclusive of analyzing the PESTEL structure of the company, evaluating the Porter’s five forces and taking into account other indicators used in the value chain series. The company has since continued to grow and today, it diversifies its products into pre-made property and food (IKEA 5).  

            Typically in the European countries, children inherited furniture from their ancestors. However, the concept of modernization in developed countries has changed customer buying styles and preferences. In the recent years, the young generation is more vulnerable to purchase low charging, convenient modern furniture, and home providing items. As a result, IKEA has deliberately designed their items to focus on customers, further reducing costs by optimizing functions with local providers.

             IKEA represents a company model that has changed an industry with regards to how its supply sequence functions. IKEA has applied its ideal business designs in numerous nations in European countries, North America, Japan Hawaiian and Russia/Ukraine. Furthermore, IKEA plans to increase their ideal business models when entering Serbia, France, South Korea, Russian Federation, Chinese suppliers and Indian. IKEA is well-known for mixing competitive low costs with top quality items, within an attractive store establishment.

            IKEA’s business motto is on the low prices and to promote an improved lifestyle for the many individuals. In other words, IKEA’s primary power is to provide clients with stylish, useful items with simple lines, which are created cost-efficiently with providers and cheaper enough so that individuals can afford them. It is, however, worth noting that the age of an individual and earnings level in the most western world is predicted to rise while IKEA’s focus on segmentation of younger, moderate- to middle-income family members is predicted to reduce. This is an implication that IKEA may need to modify their STP strategies accordingly.

The PESTEL analysis of IKEA

Political factors

               The level of organization tax and client taxes controlled by countries of any country impacts corporation’s after-tax earnings. The level of organization tax results salaries, hence lowering after-tax earnings. For example, the UK tax organizations about 30% of their earnings for operating in the UK. The United States tax 35% and Asia implement the highest of all at about 42 %. Hence, IKEA regional earnings are subject to regional tax guidelines. However, the particular feature such as new kind of the furnishings store also performs a big part in the actual tax quantity. IKEA organization structure, additional design triggers its subsidiaries to follow by regional tax guidelines (Johnson, Gerry and Scholes 83).

             Addition to organization tax, price and company limitations also effect organizations. Some of the reasons for excellent expenses and professional limitations such as protecting regional career, new areas, consumers, vengeance and national security, expenses improve the expenses of brought in products from the world. This benefit close by producers who are not forced to reduce their expenses, however, regional client pay greater expenses.

             Considering the case of IKEA and its dependency on regional producers for its products rather than posting products into an area industry, expenses and company limitations apparently have little impact on its organization earnings. Most importantly, the government balance of any country results organization functions. As an example after the fall of the communist government in the country, legal situation significantly changed and affected the relationship between the customer and seller at IKEA. The retailer’s contribution with charged providers, among regulating doubt of a country, adversely results organization and client perception of the business.

Economical factors

            Financial growth of person industry segments has its impact on businesses. For example, increasing economical techniques provide greater total well being and increased career numbers. As a result, consumers’ earnings rates also improve and so does their buy power, ultimately gaining organization earnings. In particular with the increasing economical techniques showing the truly amazing potential of business growth provides a real future for the business such as IKEA. Other aspects such as the expense of also effect organization success. In areas such as Indian native and Chinese providers accessible for their low-cost yet skilled work, provides IKEA with a wide profit edge.

            The rate of increasing costs is another critical facet affecting organization and customer experience. For instance, excellent increasing expenses quantity such as in the UK deforms client actions, destabilizing industry segments and produces avoidable shortages of resources. In the same way, in countries with excellent increasing costs quantity, trade work labor unions requirement greater earnings, muffling the entire value chain. Last, industry designs should be totally observed to make perfect options gaining the company.

Social factors

             Public aspects such as a change in industry aspects (income, age, family member’s size, etc.) of different countries considerably effect the perfect options made by the company. As an example, aging population is less likely to buy furnishings whereas recent creation would need stylish furnishings that should also add value to their buy. The requirement for personal products is managed by changes in the demographics. As an example, a major move of non-urban population to cities due to job growth indicates the greater element of less costly products for new members of family members to get settled. In the same way, social aspects, designs, and client actions also control need trendier, less costly, and easy-to-assemble furnishings. Finally, reduced earnings levels place furnishings buy at less priority. Technological factors

            The appearance of technology particularly attractive to the retail store industry such as Radio Frequency Identification an internet-based and cellular shopping has immensely benefited corporations. RFID helps companies to reduce their cost of operations through inventory shrinking, smart labeling, and self-stocking, efficient checkout process. Further, on quick access to retailers on the internet shops provides enormous selling opportunities for the seller. Also, technologies in the retail store industry like original customer transaction and necessary gift certificates promises customer to experience easier and reliable means of operation. The improving popularity and reliance of companies on social networking as a non-traditional marketing channel, benefits firms by improving awareness and reach amongst target audience, marketability factor, increased on the internet traffic and the general ability to develop and maintain community and relationship with customers.

Environmental factors

            Aspects such as proper company functions indicating understanding and responsibility towards carbon-emission, forestry, community development, and provider perform issues are significantly important for company achievements and durability. Industrial leaders such as IKEA are always scrutinized for their participation towards as well as exhaust the convenience of dangerous production waste in the surroundings, recycle, and provider behavior. Therefore local government authorities ensure that atmosphere can be protected, powerful businesses to meet specific requirements to reduce the adverse effect of company activities. Conformity with these rules is one of essential achievements factors.

Legal factors

            Customer security legislation limits the company regarding what they are allowed to do along with including the cost to company functions. This means that items that are produced must adhere to the security customer legislation of the specific country of functions. In the UK, Sale of Goods Act 1979 needs items to be sold in high quality with no mistakes or problems, should satisfy the requirements, and must be described for the objective they provide. So the additional costs come from changing company methods, conformity with the law, broken popularity and picture within the customer market, etc. that are eventually carried by the business.

             Other legal requirements such as worker security, protection at work, etc. Demand vicinity of company goals with a nearby legislation. For example, IKEA is lately charged to be contradicting with its Team principles, when the Saudi edition of retailer’s catalog airbrushes female’s model out. Even though the company was submission with regional rules against advertising females in Saudi Arabic, nevertheless allegation of contradicting with its Team value (i.e. against sex discrimination) is likely to improve consumer understanding towards the corporation.

Porter’s five forces analysis

             Porter’s five causes, a logical device is something that studies financial framework with respect with the five competitive economic purposes. This model is commonly used to analyze the illustrating power of a particular market where organization functions, consequently identifying the chance of a corporation’s profit-making in the given market. Provided below, is the Porter’s 5 causes research of IKEA.

Competitive rivalry among firms

             IKEA operates in a highly competitive market, based on many other affordable, high-quality furniture producers like the Gasiform, Argos and Euromarkets Designs Inc. among others. Given the appeal of the of DIY (Do-it-yourself) furniture market, IKEA continues to contend and grow in markets such as Chinese suppliers, and Asia. However, global economic downturn had impacted the furniture market, one of the toughest hit market then other areas. As a result previously premium-priced furniture producers Dreams (UK) is now revealed to increase its business against IKEA, thus making the competition even fiercer. However, considering that furniture is now low spending priority according to consumer behavior suffering from the economic downturn, competitive competition is likely to diminish.

Threats of new entrants

            The threat of new entrants in the market is currently low and the prospect of development of new competition for the furniture store is insubstantial, due to market vividness, large quantities of capital investment required, and experienced labor needed to become a worldwide supplier in the furniture production industry. Other factors such as the suffering of pricy-labeled home goods and furniture regarded as a low spending concern due to recessed financial systems, further deteriorates this economic force (Baldegger 89).

Bargaining power of suppliers

            The bargaining power of the suppliers is weak because providers of IKEA are continually becoming competitive so as to maintain their relationship with company. They consistently look for ways to quickly access sources and abilities using potential suppliers while seeking opportunities to build the association with IKEA. However, IKEA principles to create the ideal connections with providers, to encourage its providers in individual level not including their negotiating power. Therefore, this reduced commercial power in case of IKEA penalties the business to optimize sources and increase its profits (Swapna, and Swapna 154).

Bargaining power of buyers

            This power is building up by factors such as extreme opponents, and a wide choice of alternative items. Nevertheless, the risk of alternative items is poor because of IKEA irresistible expertise in production low-cost and the good-quality plus the flat pack furniture. On another side, buyer power is also managed by IKEA growth method of starting its stores.

Threat of substitutes

            As mentioned above, the risk of alternatives is poor power here. IKEA is an expert in production efficient, low-cost, good-quality furniture. Even though customer preservation rate continues to be best with IKEA and Argos, however, a mixture of IKEA features remains to be un-matched by its opponents. IKEA brand understanding stylish also exceeds Argos ‘affordability’ and David Lewis ‘quality, due to unrivaled service and item performance.

            IKEA’s main corporate technique concentrates on offering customers low priced modern designed, efficient items. To achieve this, IKEA usually spends time on service and fortifies long-term connections with their providers. Strategic worldwide freelancing of item production has allowed IKEA to reduce effectively costs on their item, leading to global development (Pangarkar 84). Moreover, effective internal competition developed among the suppliers and provides sequence suppliers. However, during development IKEA has experienced various problems in building provide systems. For example, in Southern European countries, due to the decline of the communism system, new supervisors of manufacturers did not have the commitment to IKEA, and often ripped up agreements, tried to raise costs, and areas that are considered to be underinvested in terms of the new technology.

SWOT analysis

            SWOT analysis, a perfect system that allows organizations to identify their highly effective factors, flaws, possibilities, and risks. Since the organization ultimately controls its benefits and drawbacks, this methodical system allows firms improve their aggressive advantages. Opportunities and risks reside in the external environment, however through changing flaws into highly effective factors, an organization can completely deflate risks and grasps possibilities. Presented below is the SWOT analysis of IKEA.

Strengths

            The key advantage of IKEA is this method of perfect methods such as improving prepared to reduce manufacturing cost, an improvement of manufacturing plants to improve the use of reprocessed material. Also, the Organization uses amazing technological innovation such as collection iPhone system to accomplish buyer experience. IKEA is worldwide considered the major specialist in the retail furnishings manufacturing industry, with a prominent furnishings image. The prominent worldwide product was focusing on key customer groups provides reliability in top great quality and variety across the globe. The right approach to stunning off balance between great high quality, design, performance, and cost, gives IKEA cost and aggressive advantages in the extremely aggressive industry.

Weaknesses

            The highly aggressive industry brings IKEA flaws such as the dimensions of the worldwide organization that can manage stakeholders, item difference, and suppliers’ issues with not following IKEA Group Rule (IWAY code) into focus. Other flaws of IKEA i.e. limited connections and information exchange with its clients and stakeholders due to the huge range of economic functions are also recognized. Specific to the UK industry, perhaps these flaws are major to providing aggressive good things about Argos as it exceeds IKEA in regards to popular furnishings store. Another opponent of IKEA, DFS also exceeds IKEA in regards to biggest furnishings marketer. Research also indicates decreased organization, where only 3 in 10 clients, buy furnishings from IKEA (O’Brien 109).

Opportunities

            Several possibilities lie ahead for IKEA due to recent buy trend from DIY stores in the furnishings industry. Opportunities also occur from factors affecting customer buy choices such as the desire excellent, reductions and provides, and excellent and aggressive customer support. There is also an enhancing demand for services in green (eco-friendly), and low-priced items manufactured with understanding towards the surroundings. IKEA is designed to reduce as well as fatigue and achieve zero waste goals along with the improved relationship with stakeholders, providers and clients, which provide tremendous possibilities major to organization strength, competitors, and higher profits.

Threats

            The worldwide economic downturn and suppliers’ issues particularly jeopardize IKEA.  Furthermore, social styles showing decreased entry of first-time clients into the housing industry also affect furnishings sale. Improving competitors and decreased non reusable income are factors that encourage clients to buy low cost furnishings, even at the cost of restricting top great quality. Threats such as these, demands the providing massive to change its value sequence and improve amazing technology to provide top great quality at decreased prices.

              Ideal increase this regard would also raise entrant restrictions into the marketplace, providing the possibility to maintain and increase its organization. Although IKEA’s smaller opponents have less buying power with providers (due to fewer volume orders). Other competitive benefits are IKEA’s absence of plants, industries, and manufacturing facilities since all production is contracted to local providers. Moreover, IKEA’s item name value renowned for top high quality, reasonably cost, modern contemporary items, presents challenges for new opponents to enter the home offering market. IKEA also distinguishes tactically from opponents by placing outlets in geographic locations best suited for their customers (The Times 100)

Value chain analysis

            Value series research, an idea created by Porter in 1985 categorizes the activities of a company as immediate activities and support activities. Primary activities are essential elements to run a successful company where as support activities determine how businesses obtain the aggressive advantage in the market. Provided below is the value series research of IKEA.

Inbound logistics

            IKEA offers and produces well-structured future techniques handling of over ten thousand brands all provided by different suppliers, allocated and used the IKEA shops from 27 distribution facilities. The techniques function accounts for 25% tasks in each shop. Service goes through an extensive procedure, supervised by an item technique council, which consists of select senior managers who set up central concerns for IKEA’s item line-up. Once prioritized item line-ups are determined, item designers evaluate expenses, thereby lowering the cost by 30% to 50% (Hopkin 79).

            This procedure may take provided those three years, even though IKEA changes a third of its production every year. According to analysis, about 90% of all items were procured from independent providers, with 10% being produced internally. Before shipping, all the products of the company are often packed in flat boxes to reduce transport expenses for both IKEA and the client (i.e. more items can fit into a cage, which implies fewer submission trips, and reduces factory costs and loss (Myers, Hulks, and Wiggins 214-15).

Operations

             The worldwide large are working in more than 38 nations. Its features include of 208 company-owned stores across, whereas staying stores are franchised. The manufacturing is usually shortened, which results in company concentrate on other primary activities.

Logistics that are outbound

            The customer’s transportation the greatest item allowing the company to add further value to its elements by keeping their greatest price down.

Marketing and sales

            The concentrate on viewers is well described, consists of people with a low-income level, learners, and lovers starting themselves members. IKEA does not depend intensely on marketing; rather its stores are promotion models in themselves providing warm and friendly environment, where customers can see and check those things before coming to a buy.

Services

            The company’s method of providing restricted customer assistance indicates reducing cost of manufacturing, causing in low-priced products indicates that most of the details are provided to the customer through online catalogs and shows. The low number of revenue repetitions within stores contains price saving in features and huge discount rates.

Support Activities

            Infrastructure: The Company operates through working with large distribution stores. In terms of the recruitment process, IKEA shows great dedication level to its human resources methods, providing reliable investment strategies in workers training and development. For technology, it regularly spends in its research and development activities that are carried out often. Willing to use of technology within company procedures, the organization makes the most use of technology in to provide low-cost, high-quality products and customer experience.

             Procurement: The retail store outlet Massive decides long-term experience with its suppliers, to purchasing their education, training, and development. Working close with areas where it features, IKEA Helps local suppliers. IKEA signature blue and yellow retail store stores average 300,000 sq ft, and have carefully developed shop layouts.  Store decorations are purposely designed to require clients to carry out verifications through each of its departments prior to checking out, thereby attractive customers for making more reaction purchases during shopping. Shoppers are motivated to try out and test items in the furniture shop.

            Consumer concerns about QC and durability are also resolved. For easier purchasing decisions, each display has pricing details, materials utilized, the various colors that may be accessible, dimensions for the item, thing measurements and elements ordered on a standard ticket, and where to get and assemble the thing inside of the shop. IKEA gives additional wide checkouts, with rooftop racks accessible in the business, or home accommodation choices for an extra charge. They additionally accommodate a fourteen day “Return Policy. Additionally, IKEA further encourages customers to stay longer by having eateries (typically amidst the store) and youngster consideration offices. This sort of delicate pressure is gone for keeping clients in the shop gave that conceivable.

Conclusion

Because of the considerable success, IKEA has had as a worldwide brand, enhanced efficiency levels can be obtained by carefully examining its external and internal environments that in turn allows the company to make the most out of available possibilities. This study has established that a sensible and highly effective strategy is designed by IKEA to maintain its advantage over their opponents; however, modifying its flaws into high points can further enhance the item. With the goal of including further value to its value series, IKEA has remarkable opportunity

set up a greater experience with its customers..

Works Cited

Baldegger, Rico. Management in a Dynamic Environment: Concepts, Methods and Tools.             Wiesbaden: Springer Gabler, 2012. Internet resource.

Charles, L. Hair, and Carl, M. MKTG4. 2010. Cengage Learning.

IKEA. IKEA services. Retrieved may 5, 2012, from IKEA:             http://www.ikea.com/ms/hu_HU/customer_service/ikea_services/ikea_services_EN.html

Top of Form

Hopkin, Paul. Risk Management. , 2013. Internet resource.

Johnson, Gerry, Kevan Scholes, and Richard Whittington. Exploring Corporate Strategy: Text      and Cases. Harlow: Pearson Education Ltd, 2008. Print.

 Top of Form

Myers, Piers, Sally Hulks, and Liz Wiggins. Organizational Change: Perspectives on Theory         and Practice. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2012. Print.

Mellahi, Kamel, Jedrzej G. Frynas, and Paul N. Finlay. Global Strategic Management. Oxford:     Oxford University Press, 2010. Print.

Palepu, Krishna G. Business Analysis and Valuation: Ifrs Edition, Text and Cases. London:           Thomson Learning, 2007. Print.

 Bottom of Form

Top of Form

Pangarkar, Nitin. High Performance Companies: Successful Strategies from the World’s Top          Achievers. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass, 2011. Print.

O’Brien, Jonathan. Category Management in Purchasing: A Strategic Approach to Maximize         Business Profitability. London: Kogan Page, 2009. Internet resource.

Pradhan, Swapna, and Swapna Pradhan. Retailing Management: Text and Cases. New Delhi,       India: Tata McGraw-Hill Education Pvt. Ltd, 2009. Print. Bottom of Form

Robert, 2000. E-commerce: Formulation of strategy. New Jersey: Prentice Hall.

The Times 100.2009. IKEA summary. Retrieved February, 2016 from The times 100:        http://www.The Times 100.com/IKEA summary.pdf Bottom of ForBottom of Form

Yesemin, A.,And Ana, D. 2003, June. Supply chain management. Software Survey .