The IKEA Edge: Building Global Growth and Social Good at the World's Most Iconic Home Store

ConclusionDoing Good Business while Being a Good Business

I have been discussing in the past few chapters primarily technical issues about how to structure and run an effective, profitable business, one that provides a healthy, supportive working environment for its employees while at the same time fulfilling a social vision of giving back to the community. In my conclusion, I want to return to the question with which I opened this book: What does it take to be a company that manages to both deliver a healthy profit and contribute to a better society? My conclusions are related primarily to the retail sector, but I would like to think that some of these points are relevant also to other businesses.

For success, there are four main points:

• A ...