AbouttheBook:
WithAndersDahlvigatthehelmfrom1999to2009,thefurnituregiantIKEAaveraged11percentyearlysalesgrowthandannualoperatingprofitsinexcessof10percent.Thecompanyhiredmorethan70,000newemployeesandopenednewstoresaroundtheworld—allwhilemaintainingitsreputationasoneoftheworld’sbestcorporatecitizens.
InTheIKEAEdge,DahlvigtellsthestoryofhowIKEAmaturedfromanentrepreneurialstartuptoaleaderinthefurnitureindustry.Herecountshis26-yearcareeratthecompanyandwhathelearnedalongtheway.Inhisrisefromstoremanagertopresident,DahlvigdevelopedtheuniquevisionhereliedupontoleadIKEAthroughgoodtimesandbad—bycombiningtraditionalbusinessgoalslikeprofitandgrowthwiththeprogressiveinterestsofsocialresponsibilityandenvironmentalstewardship.Dahlvigprovesthattheseobjectives,whichareusuallyviewedaspolaropposites,canactuallyworkwonderstogether.
TheIKEAEdgeservesasanexpansivecasestudyfor“doinggoodbusinesswhilebeingagoodbusiness.”DahlvigclearlylaysoutthecornerstonesthatsupportIKEA:avisionofsocialresponsibility;marketleadershipwithabalancedglobalportfolio;differentiationthroughcontrolofthevaluechain;andbuildingforthelongterm—fourprinciplesthatcanbeappliedinanybusiness,inanyindustry.socialandbusinessagenda—anditcontinuestogrow,evenduringtheworstglobalrecessioninhistory.Inatimewhenthepublic’strustofbusinesshashitbottom,suchanapproachtobusinessismorecriticalthanever.
Acombinationofpersonalmemoir,calltoaction,andstrategicvision,TheIKEAEdgeprovidestheinspirationandinformationyouneedtodevelopasocial-good/good-businessagendaforyourowncompany.Publictrust,brandrecognition,customerloyalty,andaworld-classreputationwillsoonfollow.
AndersDahlvigistheformerpresidentandCEOofIKEA.In2006,hereceivedtheU.S.ForeignPolicyAssociation’sGlobalSocialResponsibilityAward,andin2009heearnedtheOsloBusinessforPeaceAward.Dahlvigisaregularkeynotespeakeratinternationalconferences,suchasGDIInternationalConferenceonRetailing,UNGlobalCompactSummit,IVLSwedishEnvironmentalResearchInstitute,GreenpeaceAnnualConference,ECREurope,andWorldRetailCongress.