Research Paper on:
Swedish Furniture Company IKEA

Unformatted Sample Text from the Research Paper:
purchases of virtually any product are not necessarily about the item or service purchased. Of far greater interest to the consumer are the costs, the utility, and the popularity  of any given item . . . but not necessarily in that order. Shopping and consumption have become tied up with far more factors than need, utility, or amusement.  Complicated issues such as sexuality, status, and self-esteem are connected to the purchases of everything from cars to handbags. Regardless of whether or not an individual finds that  sad, an example of moral decay, or a sad commentary on the neediness of Western society . . . it is a fact of modern life in much of the  "developed" world. The Swedish furniture chain IKEA has made it clear that it understands such "issues." With the slogan "affordable solutions for better living" (Internet source), IKEA appeals to  people who understand that functionality has its own form of beauty and style. The company also explains "ours is not a flashy crusade" in its "Unboring Manifesto" in which it  makes it clear that they understand that people "who really needed a more beautiful home werent able to afford it" (Internet source). As IKEA puts it . . . "Thats  boring" (Internet source). But the most interesting point made in the Manifesto is one that is elegant in its simple truth: "Lots of things on our planet are made for  people with lots of money. But when it comes to making things for people with limited resources, very few have ever bothered" (Internet source). In making such a statement the  company establishes something of a camaraderie among company and consumer that essentially says "we know what youre up against and were here to help." That attitude can transcend national boundaries