It’s the 3rd week since I joined IKEA Components in Shanghai - well, time flies! Indeed , that’s three exciting and affluent weeks .
My first two weeks, I had an introduction regarding to the overall organisation and the long-term business perspective. My strongest impression of IKEA is the working culture. Every company has their own way of working and company culture. Values are much more than a set of words. The IKEA values are suitable for all of employees in this company, to issue the contribution for the development of the company.
Togetherness is surely important, we expect everyone to become a team-player. To overcome any difficulties or problems, you have to cooperate and gather all power possible. Business will never be a single-man show. As a Business Developer (BD), I am member of a team which is mixed by 3 persons (BD, Supply Planner, and Technician), who are in charge of a specified business category that also work with quality, warehouse and other functional departments. To take the responsibility as a coordinator and to gather the competencies of all individuals in the team, add great value to the team .That’s the key factor to access success!
As a sourcing/ purchasing office, we must be very cost-conscious. IKEA follows the ‘best buy’ strategy, quality, IWAY, best delivery and price are 4 cornerstones under this strategy. How to get a lower price but keep the good quality and unique design? It’s a constant topic and never out of date.
Every company which I have worked for, I have learned something, and I always try to use one sentence to conclude it and that is: Learning by doing!
Business is never what you want to get, it is what you negotiate.
I’m curious what I can learn at IKEA? Should it be “to create a better everyday life for the many people”? Yes, I believe so.
Tom Lu
Business Developer
ICOMP Shanghai Office
June 28th ,2011