CHAPTER 3Diversity: A Good Business Choice
As the new CEO of Ikea in 1999, I began to assemble a new management team. Among my first actions, I promoted two women into senior positions. One, as the manager of Ikea of Sweden AB (Ltd.), was responsible for the product range and supply chain; the other became manager of our retail operations in North America. These promotions prompted very strong reactions from inside the company. Up to that point, senior management in Ikea had been entirely composed of middle-aged Swedish white men. The “glass ceiling” was very strong, without a crack in it. Making these appointments shattered that ceiling, and a wave of emotions tumbled out. It quickly became clear that many competent people within the company ...
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