Effective Inventory Control and Management: a Case Study of Ikea

“EFFECTIVE INVENTORY CONTROL AND MANAGEMENT: A CASE STUDY OF IKEA”

UNIVERSITY OF WALES

JANUARY 2012

Table of Contents
ABSTRACT 4
CHAPTER – 1 5
1.1 INTRODUCTION 5
1.2 BACKGROUND OF THE ORGANIZATION 7
1.3 OBJECTIVES 8
1.4 RESEARCH QUESTIONS 8
1.5 PURPOSE OF THE RESEARCH 9
1.6 DELIMITATIONS 9
1.7 TARGET GROUP 10
1.8 JUSTIFICATION FOR CHOOSING THIS RESEARCH TOPIC 10
1.9 PROBLEMS FORMULATION 11
1.10 OVERVIEW OF THE DISSERTATION 11
2.4 INVENTORY CONTROL 17
2.5 APPROACHES USED FOR INVENTORY CONTROL: 17
2.6 INVENTORY CONTROL SYSTEM 19
2.7 INVENTORY MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE: 20
2.7.1 Components of the software: 20
Asset tracking 20
Barcoding 20
Order management 20
Service management 20
2.8 CONTROLLING INVENTORY 21
CHAPTER – 3 Research Methodology: 29
3.1 RESEARCH TYPES: 29
3.1.1. Exploratory Research: 29
3.1.2 Descriptive Research: 30
3.1.3 Explanatory Research: 30
3.1.4 Chosen method for this research: 30
3.2 RESEARCH APPROACH: 30
3.2.1 Qualitative Approach: 31
3.2.2 Quantitative Approach: 31
3.2.3 Chosen approach in this study: 32
3.3 RESEARCH METHOD: 32
Inductive versus Deductive approach: 32
3.4 RESEARCH STRATEGY: 33
3.4.1 Experiment: 33
3.4.2 Survey: 33
3.4.3 Action Research: 34
3.4.4 Case Study: 34
3.4.5 Operations Research Modeling: 34
3.4.6 Chosen strategy for the research: 35
3.5 DATA COLLECTION: 36
3.5.1 Primary Data: 36
3.5.2 Secondary Data: 36
3.6 APPROACHES FOR ANALYSIS: 37
3.7 QUALITY CRITERIA: 37
3.7.1. Validity: 37
3.7.2 Reliability: 38
CHAPTER – 4 FINDINGS & ANALYSIS: 39
CHAPTER – 6 CONCLUSION & RECOMMENDATIONS: 50
CHAPTER – 6 FURTHER RESEARCH: 52
6.1 DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE MODEL & REALITY 53
6.2 FINAL REMARKS: 55

ABSTRACT

In this research study the inventory management and control at IKEA is studied. IKEA is a home furnishing company that produces high quality products at very low prices. This is only possible

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