(IKEA) the largest furniture retailer in the world. The purpose of the case study is to analyze the objectives and strategies used by IKEA, analyze the company financially, SWOT analyzing and discuss major issue that the company faced. About: IKEA is a privately-‐held, international home products retailer that sells flat pack furniture, accessories, and bathroom and kitchen items in their retail stores around the world. The company, which pioneered flat-‐pack design furniture at affordable prices, is now the worlds largest furniture retailer. IKEA was founded in 1943 by 17-‐year-‐old Ingvar Kamprad in Sweden and it is owned by a Dutchregistered foundation controlled by the Kamprad family. The company that was originated in Småland, Sweden, distributes its products through its retail outlets. As of August 2009, the chain has 301 stores in 37 countries, most of them in Europe, North America, Asia and Australia. History: The IKEA Concept began when Ingvar Kamprad, anentrepreneur from the Småland province in southern Sweden, had an innovative idea. In Småland, although the soil is thin and poor, the people have a reputation for working hard, living frugally and making the most out of limited resources. So when Ingvar started his furniture business in the late 1940s, he applied the lessons he learned in Småland to the home furnishings market. Ingvars innovative idea was to offer home furnishing products of good function and design at prices much lower than competitors by using simple cost-‐cutting solutions that did not affect the quality of products. Ingvar used every opportunity to reduce costs, and he scraped and saved in every way possible -‐ except on ideas and quality. The name IKEA comes from the initials of Ingvar Kamprad, I and K, plus the first letters of Elmtaryd and Agunnaryd, which are the names of the farm and village where he grew up.