As IKEA grew, the question of taking the company pub-
lic arose. While there were obvious advantages associated
with doing so, including access to capital, Kamprad decided
against it. His belief was that the stock market would im-
pose short-term pressures on IKEA that would not be good
for the company. The constant demands to produce profits,
regardless of the business cycle, would, in Kamprad's view,
make it more difficult for IKEA to take bold decisions. At
the same time, as early as 1970 Kamprad started to worry
about what would happen if he died. He decided that he
did not want his sons to inherit the business. His worry was
that they would either sell the company or squabble over
control of the company, and thus destroy it. All three of
his sons, it should be noted, went to work at IKEA
as managers.