Ingvar Kamprad & IKEA

Essay by lepikapslCollege, UndergraduateA-, March 2009

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IKEA & Ingvar KAMPRAD

Content�

1.Facts and Figures 1

1.1Facts and Figures of IKEA 1

1.2Facts and Figures of Ingvar Kamprad 2

1.3Mission 2

2.How IKEA is organized 2

3.What makes a great leader 3

4.The pluses and minuses of the chosen leader 4��

References 5�

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Facts and Figures

Facts and Figures of IKEA

In 1926 the founder of IKEA, Ingvar Kamprad, is born in Småland, in the south of Sweden. He was raised on a farm called Elmtaryd, near the small village of Agunnaryd. Even as a young boy, Ingvar knew that he wanted to develop a business. He started by selling matches to neighbours from his bicycle. He found that he could buy matches in bulk very cheaply from Stockholm and sell them individually at a very low price but still make a good profit. From matches, he expanded to selling fish, Christmas tree decorations, seeds and later ball-point pens and pencils.

In 1943, when Ingvar was 17, his father gave him a gift for succeeding in his studies. The gift was used to establish his own business. The name IKEA was formed from the founder's initials (I. K.) plus the first letters of Elmtaryd and Agunnaryd, the farm and village where he grew up. IKEA originally sold pens, wallets, picture frames, table runners, watches, jewellery and nylon stockings-whatever Ingvar found a need for that he could fill with a product at a reduced price.

In 1955 IKEA begins designing its own furniture. Pressure from our competitors caused suppliers to boycott IKEA. This reaction to our early success required us to begin designing our own furniture, and became the basis for future growth. Ultimately, this would lead to innovative design and improved function at lower...