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Leading by Design: The IKEA Story

Bertil Torekull (with Ingvar Kamprad)

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Summary

Bertil Torekull presents Ingvar Kamprad’s account of building IKEA. The book describes the company’s growth from its 1943 beginnings and examines the management ideas behind affordable furniture, ready-to-assemble products and unusual manufacturing methods. Its focus is the brand and business built around Kamprad’s approach to design, quality and cost.

  • SourceLeading by Design — licensed HarperCollins description · Publisher description; September 1, 1999, exact ISBN 9780066620381

Why read it Our view

Read it to compare a company’s purpose with the choices needed to make that purpose work. IKEA’s account lets founders examine how design, production methods and price support one another, and how management practices can give a brand a clear identity.

Written about

  • Ingvar KampradInterview-based company history by Bertil Torekull
    Torekull presents Kamprad’s account of building IKEA. The museum identifies the book as Torekull’s and quotes Kamprad speaking to him; this is an interview-based history, not a Kamprad-authored memoir.
    Source