Anna Jonsson
Senior lecturer
Exploring digitalisation at IKEA
Author
Summary, in English
Purpose
The paper aims to clarify how an incumbent retail organisation explores digitalisation for its existing business.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper draws from an in-depth case study of home-furnishing retail giant, IKEA conducted with semi-structured interviews, participant observations and document analyses.
Findings
In the exploration phase of digitalisation, three major activities – interpreting, interrelating and integrating – illuminate how the exploration process can be organised in practice.
Originality/value
Although digitalisation ranks amongst the most significant ongoing transformations in retail businesses, research on how incumbent retail organisations have engaged in exploring digitalisation in practice has remained scarce. The paper contributes insights into digitalisation processes in retail businesses that may also apply to other trends affecting the retail industry.
The paper aims to clarify how an incumbent retail organisation explores digitalisation for its existing business.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper draws from an in-depth case study of home-furnishing retail giant, IKEA conducted with semi-structured interviews, participant observations and document analyses.
Findings
In the exploration phase of digitalisation, three major activities – interpreting, interrelating and integrating – illuminate how the exploration process can be organised in practice.
Originality/value
Although digitalisation ranks amongst the most significant ongoing transformations in retail businesses, research on how incumbent retail organisations have engaged in exploring digitalisation in practice has remained scarce. The paper contributes insights into digitalisation processes in retail businesses that may also apply to other trends affecting the retail industry.
Department/s
- Organizational Studies
Publishing year
2022-03-15
Language
English
Pages
1-18
Publication/Series
International Journal of Retail & Distribution Management
Volume
50
Issue
13
Document type
Journal article
Publisher
Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Topic
- Business Administration
Status
Published
ISBN/ISSN/Other
- ISSN: 0959-0552