CORPORATE CULTURE #2:
Process Centric Company
IKEA is a process-oriented company. This means that they focus mainly on processses instead of the individual taskings delegated to separate functions.
The three basic processes are creating, communicating and selling the home-furnishings offer.
Source: IKEA. (2012). IKEA Group Yearly Summary FY12
Strength:
1. Being process-centric eradicates the issue of
functional silo
2. Encourage interaction and cooperation between
multiple departments
Weakness: Departments may complain that they are doing the work of other departments
CORPORATE CULTURE #3:
Open Office Layout
In IKEA, everyone has the same desk arrangement. Everybody including CEO here works in the open landscape.
In addition, instead of always having to book a room to have
a meeting, IKEA has "huddle rooms" which are available at any time.
Strength: This maximises employee feedback. Its CEO has a
cubicle, rather than a spacious private office, to make him more accessible. Everyone is expected to contribute ideas, and good ones are transmitted quicklythroughout the company. Effective innovation also requires objective metrics for success, such as sales targets, according to our research. .
Source:
The Hub. (2009). Key of IKEA
The Economist. (2012). Cultivating business-led innovation
CORPORATE CULTURE #4:
Opportunities for Job Rotation
Strength:
1. Encourages personal development and sharing of experience
2. Backpackers will gain a better understanding of the global ways of working and the company culture
3. Befriend new friends
4. Instil employee's loyalty in IKEA
Weakness:
1. Possibility of manpower shortage when these employees are away
Starting from 2011, IKEA’s Backpacker program is a new initiative that provides a unique opportunity to work for IKEA abroad.This one year development journey can be applied for by any of our co-workers at the beginning of their career.
The backpackers get to work within different fields in two different countries over a year. Backpackers are set out to gain a broader view of our business processes by working alongside an experienced mentor in a real life situation with a specific challenge to solve. This creates an excellent platform to learn by experience.
Source:
IKEA. (2011). Welcome inside 2011
Laurie. (2013). The life of an Ikea Backpacker. Retrieved from http://theartofbreakingbread.com/about/2013/12/20/the-life-of-an-ikea-backpacker/
Laurie, IKEA Backpacker - 2013
