Knowledge management strategy in IKEA.

Alexandra Panchenko M1102eng

Knowledge management is not about technology, but is about managing people and
helping them to deploy their knowledge towards solving problems for the firm or organization.
Thus, as in the case of IKEA, each employee needs to think that he or she is part of a bigger
context. People have to feel that their knowledge will be used. In the firm, four constituencies
need always to be emphasized: customers, the employer, the public, and the variety of
stakeholders. To this end, employees have to share values. Thus IKEA tries to merge the
company philosophy with Swedish values and North American values and uses. IKEA uses a
codification knowledge management strategy. The company produces manuals but also tries to
operate as a learning organization and continuously improve and update those manuals.
Knowledge sharing in IKEA.
IKEA does not have a special programme or function responsible for knowledge sharing.
Knowledge sharing is part of the routines within IKEA. In IKEA HR policy it is clearly stated
that “As an IKEA co-worker you are willing to share your knowledge and experience with all
IKEA co-workers”. Knowledge sharing is part of Ingvar Kamprad’s, the founder of IKEA,
mission to be cost-efficient as part of the concept.
Although IKEA does not have a special program or function responsible for knowledge
sharing there are different routines for evaluating knowledge sharing. “Commercial review” is an
internal tool for measuring how the IKEA concept is followed in the IKEA countries and within
different functions. Best practices found from the review process are then published on the
intranet or in the manuals provided by Inter IKEA Systems B.V.
There were some researches of IKEA's establishment in Russia, China, and Japan in
order to understand why they succeed so well with their new establishments. It was found that
the secret lies in the fact that the company associates are good at sharing their knowledge and
that the knowledge flows readily among all levels. Anyone wishing to pursue a career with the
company has to try out many different positions and zig zag their way up.
In many companies a person's career can benefit from them not sharing their knowledge.
At IKEA it's just the other way around: you can't pursue a career there unless you share.
Corporate knowledge is shared through training by experienced IKEA people as well as
by manuals and intranet. The use of the intranet is mostly used at corporate level and to some
extent by the management team in the stores. It is stressed that it is important to work side by
side new employees to train them in the IKEA-way. Action learning and teamwork based on an
open communication are important, though supported by documented information available on
the intranet. Formal training programs are also important. New co-workers are educated in a so
called learning store, in each country there is one IKEA store that is responsible for educating
and training for new store openings. Each new co-worker gets a one week introduction program
on issues such as the IKEA organization, culture and history and It is argued that knowledge
sharing is based on employing the right people who can share the IKEA corporate culture.
Knowledge sharing is also integrated into the career path at IKEA, as employees are promoted
and rewarded in accordance with their ability to share knowledge. In IKEA knowledge sharing is
supported by a matrix organization securing that knowledge is shared throughout the
organization. Employees are stimulated to seek positions within different parts of the
organization to broaden their knowledge about IKEA instead of keeping to narrow
specialization.
In conclusion, I would like to say that at present time companies try to develop and
support knowledge management. They become more oriented to knowledge. And in the case of
IKEA, I can say that the organization pays much attention to knowledge sharing within the
company throughout the world.