1. By the early 1970s IKEA had established itself as the
largest furniture retailer in Sweden. What was the
source of its competitive advantage at that time?
2 Why do you think. IKEA's expansion into Europe
went so well? Why did the company subsequently stumble in North America? What lessons did IKEA learn from this experience? How is the company
now applying these lessons?
3. How would you characterize IKEA's strategy prior
to its missteps in North America? How would you
characterize its strategy today?
4. What is IKEA's strategy toward its suppliers? How
important is this strategy to IKEA's success?
5. What is the source of IKEA's success today? Can
you see any weaknesses in the company? What might it do to correct these?