Questions 4: After failing in Japan two decades earlier, IKEA returned in 2006. How did IKEA fare the second time around in Japan? How did IKEA avoid the mistakes it made in its first failed attempt?
Answer: Japan was the first country that IKEA entered outside of Europe beginning in 1970s (Stolba, 2009). The difference between its European culture and the Japanese culture made business impossible for IKEA whose core of business was centered on its Swedish culture. Learning from previous experience, IKEA returned to Japan and spent five years learning Japanese culture and visiting homes. IKEA adapted its strategy to include aspects of Japanese culture and lifestyle, and that has contributed to its success. By 2009, it had six stores around the country of Japan since its re-entry in 2001.