When she had finished writing her questions and began looking for the answers by reading material about IKEA, she discovered new questions, ones she couldn't ask in the beginning since she knew too little about IKEA. This commonly happens – and it's fine!
What surprised her the most was how incredibly rich the IKEA concern was!– How was this possible?Another question was
This question became the most important one – especially since it was easy to imagine that most people had no idea how wealthy IKEA was!
– Are all the stores built from the same drawings?Here are some more of her questions:
While she was looking for answers, she learned that IKEA tried to accomplish the opposite – to make sure that each store was as unique as possible. And what customer would have guessed that the first IKEA store in Stockholm was modeled on the world-famous Guggenheim museum in New York?
– What's so unusual about IKEA?
– Why has IKEA succeeded so well?
– Is the IKEA idea original?
– How was the idea of IKEA created?
– What does IKEA mean?
– Who is Ingvar Kamprad?
– How and when did he start IKEA?
– When was IKEA founded?
– Who owns IKEA now?
– How is the IKEA concern run?
– Is IKEA a partnership in some countries?
– Is or has IKEA been listed on the stock exchange?
– Has IKEA chosen to be a home-and-office furnishing company?
– Has IKEA tried to get involved with other products?
– Is there any real competition?
– Is IKEA the only company to sell do-it-yourself furniture?
– Has anyone attempted to copy the IKEA logo or name?
– Is IKEA a partner in surrounding businesses and stores?
– What is the concern's market share?
– Is there a piece of IKEA furniture in every Swedish home?
– Is IKEA really cheaper?
– How many people buy on credit?
– Can a customer get help? Buy complete furniture?
– How big is the post-order business?
– How profitable is IKEA?
– What's the greatest number of customers in a day?
– What's the average daily sales?
– How much merchandise is stolen?
– How much is lost from damage, administrative errors, etc.
– Is the bookshelf BILLY the best selling piece of furniture?
– What countries have an IKEA sore?
– How did IKEA decide to open stores where they have done so?
– Why is there an IKEA store on the Canary Islands?
– Is the name IKEA used in every country?
– Are all the stores built in the same way?
– How many IKEA stores are there?
– Are all the stores self-service?
– Is the assortment the same at all the stores?
– Is IKEA's catalogue the most widely distributed book in Sweden?
– In how many languages is the catalogue published?
– How many catalogues are printed in total?
– Does IKEA develop its own products?
– Where is the furniture manufactured?
– Is the furniture manufactured regionally/locally?
– Does IKEA own any of its suppliers?
– Is IKEA furniture manufactured with the support of foreign aid?
– Does IKEA use child labor?
– How many people does IKEA employ?
– Does IKEA have its own training program for personnel?
– Does IKEA recruit management from among its own personnel?
– How much does an average employee earn?
– Do personnel have a fixed salary or do they work on commission?
– Do they get bonuses?
– How large a discount do personnel get?
– Does IKEA collect jokes and funny incidents?
– Has anyone written a dissertation about IKEA?
– Does IKEA have a the same environmental policy regardless of country?Writing down so many questions doesn't mean that you have to include all the answers! The boring or trivial answers should be discarded.
This is how her paper began..
Copyright © Bengt Hemlin 2002