Skip to main content

The Trä 50 Group: A Supplier Network to IKEA

  • Chapter

Abstract

This chapter presents the case of Trä 50, a unique empirical case of a sort rarely encountered in the literature: a cooperative effort between potential competitors and their major shared customer. These companies handled demands for increased strategic competence, increased large-scale investments, increased operational effectiveness, and so on, by working together. The term ‘strategic network’ is sometimes used to denote the deliberate management of such cooperation (Klint and Sjöberg 2003). The case demonstrates that potential competitors can cooperate to a very positive effect and that, by cooperating, relatively small suppliers can collectively become powerful.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.

Buying options

Chapter
USD   29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD   39.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD   54.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD   54.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Learn about institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  • B. Ager, M. Bergqvist, and J. Backman, Nätverk och kluster i Träsverige 2003, Report 2004: 062 (Dalarna: Högskolan Dalarna, 2004).

    Google Scholar 

  • B. Ager, Strategiska nätverk i träförädling, Report no. 9 (Dalarna: Högskolan Dalarna, 2000).

    Google Scholar 

  • K. Andersson, ‘Suppliers in Collaboration: The Impact on the Strategies of the Individual Firm’, licentiate thesis, Linköpings University, 2005.

    Google Scholar 

  • K. Eisenhardt, ‘Building Theories from Case Study Research’, Academy of Management Review, 14 (1989): 532–50.

    Google Scholar 

  • K. Elmhester, ‘Små företag i strategiska nätverk: hur påverkas det enskilda företagets utveckling?’, Doctoral dissertation, Linköpings University, 2008.

    Google Scholar 

  • G. Hamel, ‘Competition for Competence and Inter-Partner Learning within International Strategic Alliances’, Strategic Management Journal, 12 (1991): 83–103.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • S. Human and K. Provan, ‘An Emergent Theory of Structure and Outcomes in Small-Firm Strategic Manufacturing Networks’, Academy of Management Journal, 40 (1997): 368–403.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • M. Klint and U. Sjöberg, ‘Towards a Comprehensive SCP-Model for Analyzing Strategic Networks/Alliances’, International Journal of Physical Distribution and Logistic Management, 33 (2003): 408–25.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • H. Lundberg, ‘Geographical Proximity Effects and Regional Strategic Networks’, Doctoral dissertation, Uppsala University, 2008.

    Google Scholar 

  • H. Neergaard, ‘Networks as Vehicles of Internationalization: Network Relationships and the Internationalization Process of Small Furniture Manufacturers’, Doctoral dissertation, Århus Handelshøjskole, 2000.

    Google Scholar 

  • K. Sahlin-Andersson, ‘I styrbarhetens utmarker’, in I. Sahlin (ed.), Projektets paradoxer (Lund: Studentlitteratur, 1996).

    Google Scholar 

  • E. Varamäki, ‘Essays on Multilateral Cooperation between SMEs’, Doctoral dissertation, University of Vaasa, 2001.

    Google Scholar 

  • E. Varamäki and J. Vesalainen, ‘Modelling Different Types of Multilateral Co-operation between SMEs’, Entrepreneurship and Regional Development, 15 (2003): 27–47.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • M. Westerberg, J. Wincent, and D. Örtqvist, Träinnovas storprojekt trä: Utvärdering av samverkansprojekt inom träsektorn i Jämtland 2000–2002, report (Luleå: Luleå University of Technology, 2002).

    Google Scholar 

  • M. Westerberg, J. Wincent, and D. Örtqvist, Ywood: Utvärdering av samverkansprojekt inom träsektorn i västernorrland 2000–2002, report (Luleå: Luleå University of Technology, 2003).

    Google Scholar 

  • R. Yin, Case Study Research: Design and Methods (Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, 2003).

    Google Scholar 

  • A. Öhrwall Rönnbäck, S. Gullander, and S. Brege, ‘Product Development in Supplier Networks: Critical Success Factors’, Proceedings IPSERA 2001, International Purchasing and Supply Education and Research Association Conference (2001).

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Authors

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Copyright information

© 2011 Karolina Elmhester and Staffan Brege

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Elmhester, K., Brege, S. (2011). The Trä 50 Group: A Supplier Network to IKEA. In: Johanson, M., Lundberg, H. (eds) Network Strategies for Regional Growth. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1057/9780230299146_8

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics