OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT

Operations Management



Operations Management

Introduction

IKEA is a Swedish worldwide retailer of home products company. IKEA is the leading manufacturing firm, engaged in the manufacturing of furniture. The unique characteristic of IKEA furniture is that it is ready to assemble. Since its inception, IKEA has maintained a distinctive position among its competitors, thus enjoying an overwhelming competitive advantage. It has always enjoyed a formidable position in this particular sector. The company offers a wide range of home products that are functional and affordable at the same time. The company is dedicated to making its products affordable for all and the idea is central to everything that is done at IKEA. This is what differentiates IKEA from other home products manufacturer and retailers. Designing quality furniture and selling it at a premium price is not something that anyone can do, but designing high quality products and that too for a lower price is something that only IKEA excels at. It is because of this reason that cost-effectiveness and innovation are embedded in the very culture of the organization. The company saves on cost and pass on the advantages of lower cost to its customers.

Discussion

Marketing over time has become an integral part of any company's core operations. No matter how distinctive and competent a company's product may be, it will not yield company the desired return, unless the marketers market the products in the right and appropriate manner. Marketing enables the company to pitch the product and the brand to the desired consumer market and let them acknowledge the worth and standard the brand possesses. The aspect of devising the suitable marketing strategies bearing in mind the needs and desires of consumers, and the most appropriate way of successfully implementing them will allow the company to gauge the effectiveness of their marketing endeavors.

There are numerous companies in the world that are famous for their marketing genuineness amongst those companies; IKEA possesses a significant position, which is now amongst the world's largest furniture retailer. Amongst the main strengths of IKEA, are its astute marketing strategies and their successful implementation throughout the world.

However, the marketing and business practices have drastically changed from previous to modern times. Now a cognitive mind is coerced to ponder, as to what brought these changes in the world with respect to all the previously mentioned aspects. The honest answer one receives is, the modern era is substantially different and developed than all the precedent era; mainly because of the technological advancement this world has achieved. This technical advancement, the progress and development, the world has experienced has undoubtedly positively affected all spheres of the world, but the most influenced sphere is that of business and trade.

According to numerous researchers, the main aspect that caused the change in the attitude of the firms and their practices towards the needs and requirements of consumers is not only the competition and the thirst of continuously attaining the competitive advantage with in the region; but the researchers believe the dominant player to be ...