IKEAs mål är att deras produkter ska vara för ”de många människorna”. För att bygga hus som passar ihop med detta måste det vara till kostnader som folk har råd med. Syftet med den här rapporten är att ta fram ett förslag på en yteffektiv lägenhet som kan sättas ihop till ett mindre flerbostadshus. Yteffektiva lägenheter gör att huset tar upp mindre plats på marken och därför kostar mindre per kvadratmeter. Med hjälp av detta hus kommer en jämförelse av kostnader för olika invändiga ytmaterial att utföras. Detta kommer användas för att se hur stor skillnad det blir på slutsumman om man till exempel väljer ”finare” ytmaterial, som parkett och klinker, istället för plastmatta.

Detta examensarbete är genomfört i samarbete med produktutvecklingsavdelningen på IKEA i Älmhult. Ingvar Kamprad startade IKEA år 1943 som en postorderfirma. Idag är företaget ett av världens största möbelföretag med 253 varuhus i 35 länder och med en omsättning på 161 miljarder kronor. Compact living är ett område på frammarsch inom inredningsvärlden. IKEA strävar efter att kunna erbjuda marknadskraftig heminredning inom alla områden. 24 hour Living room och dess delprojekt är en utgångspunkt för framtida idéer inom området. 24 hour Livingroom är ett projekt där en urban lägenhet på cirka 40m2 skall möbleras för ett compact living. Nyframtagna möbler och prototyper skall förenkla vardagen för en familj på två vuxna och två barn. Examensarbetet som en del av 24 hour, går ut på att utveckla en möbel som kombinerar sovplats och arbetsplats, men samtidigt vara kombinerbar med förvaringsserien Bestå från nuvarande sortiment. Syftet med prototypen är att minimera oanvänd yta - att göra små ytor större. En utförlig funktionsanalys där möbelns egenskaper och begränsningar redovisas, har tillsammans med IKEAs standarder utgjort parametrar för möbelns förutsättningar i materialtjocklekar, viktkrav och utseende. Då ergonomi står i fokus i dagens och framtidens arbetsmiljöer är möbeln konstruerad för att förenkla vardagen och minimera kroppsbelastningen. I rapporten kommer möbelindustrins vanligaste produktionsmaterial och ytbehandlingsmetoder att beskrivas. Här kommer även områden såsom IKEAsortimentets madrassalternativ och väggfästen att redogöras. Fokus i arbetet har legat på konstruerandet av en användbar prototyp. För att användaren skall slippa plocka bort och ställa fram dator med mera, varje gång funktion växlas, har skrivbordet utvecklats så det alltid är i ett horisontellt läge. Madrass och sängkläder lider av samma problematik, detta löses genom att madrassen står i en 90 graders vinkel under tiden kombinationsmöbeln används som arbetsplats. För att få en kortare utvecklingstid och en förenklad produktion har målet varit att använda IKEA components redan existerande beslag och förstärkningar. Ritningar för möbeln är gjorda efter IKEAstandard i 3d programmet SolidWorks och prototypen är skapad av IKEAs modellverkstad i Älmhult.

Distribution logistics plays a critical role in international companies that want to have more competence in the complex and global market. Today, most customers care more about whether the products can be in hand of them within expected time instead of how company delivery the products. Hence, time can be significant measurable indictor in distribution logistics. This thesis is to describe the effects of time based strategy in distribution logistics and how IKEA can gain competitive advantages by the utilization of time based strategy. The authors identify key elements in distribution logistics and find competitive advantages through researching the single case study-IKEA, and they are: speed, dependability and flexibility. Besides, the authors would provide some proposals to IKEA in order to optimize time-based strategy and gain competitive advantages.

Rapporten beskriver ett designprojekt, utfört som en del av examensarbetet på 15 HP, jag utfört som avgångsstudent på möbeldesignprogrammet vid Carl Malmsten Centrum för Träteknik & Design. Från Ronnie Runesson, produktutvecklare på IKEA of Sweden, fick jag ett uppdrag, ett reellt projekt att arbeta med. Projektet handlade om att ta fram ett koncept på en ny typ av arbetsmöbel för ungdomar i åldersgruppen 12 – 18 år. Målet med projektet var att, förutom att leverera ett fungerande koncept till IKEA, sätta min designmetodik på prov med hjälp av ett konkret designprojekt samt att vid projektets slut analysera den. Rapporten har en beskrivande karaktär där jag berättar om de olika etapper arbetet utförts efter: Etapp 1- Koncept- och instuderingsetapp, Etapp 2- Vidareutvecklingsetapp, Etapp 3- Konkretisering av produkt. Beskrivningen förljer en kronologisk ordning för att underlätta läsarens förståelse för designprocessens gång. Rapporten illustreras av ett fyrtiotal bildfigurer som visar delar ur mitt skiss- och gestaltningsarbete. Rapporten avslutas med en analys av projektet samt den designmetodik jag använt mig av. / This report describes a design project (within a graduation project worth 15 points) that I completed during my final year as a student in the furniture design program at the Carl Malmsten Centre for Wood Technology and Design. I received a commission from Ronnie Runesson, product developer at IKEA of Sweden, to develop an actual project to work with. The project was about creating a concept for a new type of desk for adolescences between the ages of 12 and 18. The aim of the project was to, apart from deliver a working concept to IKEA, try out my design methodology with the aid of a concrete design project and at the end of the project create an analysis of it. The character of the report is descriptive and in it I describe the different phases I worked with: Phase 1- Concept and Research Phase, Phase 2- Further Development Phase, Phase 3- Realisation of Product. To facilitate the reader’s understanding of the design process the description follows a chronological order. The report contains some forty images, showing parts of my sketch work. The report ends with an analysis of the project and the design methodology I used.

Background: Rhetoric can be traced back to antiquity and is today a well used tool within marketing and persuasion. Although rhetoric is said to be the art of persuasion there is a lack of research concerning rhetoric used in personal selling, even though persuasion is one of the most important aspects of personal selling. Personal selling is said to be an underlying factor for companies marketing success, therefore the authors see the importance of researching the relationship between rhetoric and personal selling. To be able to investigate how rhetoric effects personal selling, this thesis was conducted in cooperation with IKEA Jönköping. Through the cooperation with IKEA Jönköping, the authors will gain a unique real-life insight into the phenomenon. Purpose: This thesis aims to understand how rhetoric is used, and what effects the phenomenon has on the interaction between a customer and a sales person. Method: Since very little was previously researched within the use of rhetoric in personal selling, the foundation for the primary data collection was based on the theoretical framework that was developed. 112 observations and 30 semi-structured interviews were conducted during 9 days, in order to observe the phenomenon in its natural environment. Conclusion: When used correctly, arguments (Logos) were used in order to persuade the customer, character (Ethos) created a higher credibility of the sales person and emotional and personal associations (Pathos) lead customers being more trusting towards the sellers. If expertise and a strong character were absent in the interactions the sales persons were generally not successful in increasing customer’s attitudes and purchase intentions. When using the rhetorical methods correctly trust, credibility, loyalty and a positive customer attitude could be achieved by the sales person.

Thee market-driving approach has been cited by several business academic scholars (Jaworski,Kohli, & Sahay, 2000; Carpenter, Glazer, & Nakamoto, 2000; Kumar, Scheer, & Kotler, 2000;Harris & Cai, 2002; Hills & Sarin, 2003; Carrillat, Jaramillo, & Locander, 2004; Schindehutte,Morris, & Kocak, 2008) as a significant approach of the market-oriented company that canprovide a sustainable competitive advantage. Moreover, the organizational cultures developed bythe transformational leadership behavioral style are likely to play an important role in themarket-driving approach (Carrillat et al., 2004). Hence, it is necessary for the market-orientedfirm to understand the interrelationship between these two elements in order to develop asuccessful competitive position in the long-run.The main purpose of our thesis is to create a framework for understanding the interrelationshipbetween the market-driving approach and the organizational culture, which is applicable for amarket-oriented firm. To achieve this objective, we have to identify the types of organizationalcultures and leadership behavioral styles, which are occupied in a market-driving company.Furthermore, we also have to define the relationship between the market-driving approach andthe organizational culture; whether the market-driving approach or the organizational culture isthe origin of effect to the other.To answer our research question, a qualitative approach was applied by conducting semistructuredinterviews with two case studies, which are well-known market-driving companiesoperating in Thailand, IKEA Thailand and Land and Houses. We scope the area of study only inThailand according to our ability of understanding, analyze and access the sources of informationregarding Thai companies.From the research findings, both IKEA and Land and Houses share a similarity of theirorganizational culture, adhocracy and market cultures, and their leadership behavioral style,transformational leaderships. The relationship between the organizational culture and the marketdrivingapproach within these two companies reveals only one direction; their organizationalcultures led by transformational leadership stimulate their market-driving approach. Moreover,we also found that transformational leadership itself can directly generate the market-drivingapproach.Hence, this result provided us with a new conceptual framework that indicates thetransformational leadership as the main factor, which directly and indirectly develops themarket-driving approach.

Syfte Syftet med uppsatsen är att med utgångspunk i Hofstedes studier om påverkan av kultur i organisationer undersöka hur nationell kultur påverkar personers handlande inom organisationer och om kulturella skillnader kan utgöra ett hinder för samarbete. Frågeställning Vad är sambandet mellan nationell- och organisationskultur? Hur viktigt är det att ta hänsyn till den nationella kulturen när företag etablerar sig utomlands? Vad kan skillnaderna i kultur ha för effekter vid ett internationellt samarbete? Metod Uppsatsen bygger på en kvalitativ studie. Jag har med hjälp av relevanta böcker och tidigare forskning undersökt IKEA:s etablering i Ryssland. Slutsatser Det är omöjligt för en organisation att förbli helt neutral vid en etablering utomlands då den är beroende av samarbetet och kommunikationen med omgivningen. Studien bevisar att Hofstedes teori stämmer delvis då IKEA påverkats av både den ryska marknaden och nationella kulturen. Fastän nationell kultur har en stor påverkan på företag som etablerar sig utomlands, så är den inte ensam om att influera organisationen. IKEA:s etablering i Ryssland påverkades inte lika mycket av den nationella kulturen som det påverkades av det politiska systemet och korruption. Kulturella skillnader kan vara en orsak till misslyckade samarbeten, men jag anser att med rätt ledarskap och en tydlig organisationskultur så skulle ett företag kunna etablera sig var som helst.

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Social media has meant that organizations can engage in dialogue with their audience without journalistic intermediaries. PR 2.0 is a term that defines the new way for organizations to work with public relations in the new media landscape. The aim of our study is to examine how IKEA uses social media to create, maintain and develop their relationships. Furthermore, great interest is directed to the concept profile. This essay will examine how the stated profile IKEA has pervades the work on social media. The aim of this study is to create an understanding of how a well-known Swedish company is working with relationship-building communications on social media.   The essay begins with a theoretical chapter in which various theories of public relations are presented. A major focus is placed on the concept of PR 2.0. Theory section also presents thoughtful reflections that are relevant to the purpose of this essay. Kotler & Lee describes the ability of organizations to integrate with their audience through promotional activities, a potential where both sides exchange of each other. Another important theory is about profiles and profile work. To create an understanding of how IKEA is working with public relations, a netnographic approach is implemented, where we have from 1 December to 31 December 2010 observed how IKEA uses social media. During our observation period, we have also investigated how IKEA:s own statements has been agreed with the actual work. A netnographic approach includes qualitative interviews in the initial stage. These have been made with leading actors in communications at IKEA.   Working with PR on social media is an ideal tool for organizations. If the profile permeates the relation work carried out on social media demonstrates transparency, which proves a winning concept. IKEA places great value on a dialogue with the audience, hoping to create, maintain and develop relationships. However, much of the communication on social media are masked with sales-oriented messages. IKEA wants to be seen as a warm company and act on the social media because they want to be for the many people. Furthermore, the contributions IKEA are posting on social media have different nature, which demonstrates that IKEA is working towards a broad audience. Accordingly, some messages are more relational than others. The comment feature is a potential way for IKEA to manage relational work.

Increasing competitions in the markets, companies are tending to acquire different potential competitive advantages. Cost-effective ways of doing business have been deeply underpinned in every leader’s minds. However, the problem is how to obtain the most cost-effective way to operate business apart from cutting costs or other strategies which only focus on short-term measures. Nowadays, employees’ creativity are claimed to be highly valuable for the organisation to become successful and sustainable. Since, we are interested in what kind of organisational structure, culture and working environment would have positive influence on employees’ creativity at work, how those working qualities are able for employees to increase their capability on creativity; and also the constraints of those working environment on employees’ creativity will also be discussed. To have a better understanding of our research area, a single case study is introduced as a tool helping us to get to know more about the real life and in a practical perspective. Since, a Swedish company has been chosen as our case study here. In order to reach the purpose of our study, our research questions focused on what factors in the organisation and what characteristics of leadership styles can beneficial to employees’ creativity, and the constraints of the organisation for the employees’ creativity. Based on our frame of reference and our research questions, we investigated the relevant literatures for our better understanding of the research area. It is also used as a guide for us to collecting data. We used qualitative single case study as our approach to acquire data and interviews were conducted with the IKEA managers. A qualitative inquiry method is used, entailing in-depth interviews with four employees of IKEA with different types of positions and departments. The results show that their impression and experience of the company vary in some aspects, as different positions might perceive differently.