During this week of our trip, we visited two of Sweden’s powerhouses, Volvo and IKEA. We started at Volvo Cars’ headquarters, known as the “Eagle’s Nest,” for a session on innovation and supply chain transformation, followed by a tour of the factory floor. Walking into a building with that kind of nickname, you expect a […]
No Instructions Included: What Sweden Taught Me About Building Things That Last
Posted on June 17, 2026 Written by
What a Swede Trip to Stockholm!
Posted on June 17, 2026 Written by
Saab Technologies I didn’t expect a company visit to be one of the most memorable parts of this trip, but our stop at Saab Technologies in Stockholm ended up sticking with me more than I thought it would. Saab isn’t a company most Americans think about day-to-day, but in Sweden it’s almost a household name. […]
Issues related to conducting Business and Marketing Products or Services in the Nordic region
Posted on June 17, 2026 Written by
The Volvo Example: Volvo is known worldwide for Swedish safety and engineering. However, when selling outside of Scandinavia, they have to customize heavily. In the US, they build larger SUVs with bigger cup holders and stronger hybrid engines to fit long American road trips. In other global markets with poor roads or heavy traffic, they have […]
Arriving in Stockholm: A Networking Night and One Conversation We Kept Thinking About
Posted on June 15, 2026 Written by
Stockholm hits differently than Skellefteå. It’s older, denser, more visually layered, and the evening we arrived it was golden hour in a city that clearly knows how to use it. We didn’t have long to settle in before heading to the night’s main event. The SACC Alumni Summer After Work was hosted by the Swedish-American […]
What a Conference in the Arctic Taught Us About Selling Green Without Saying a Word
Posted on June 15, 2026 Written by
Day one in Skellefteå was a full conference day, and it turned out to be one of the more unexpectedly useful days of the trip for our Selling Green thesis. The event was hosted by Future Place Leadership, a Nordic organization focused on how cities and regions attract talent and investment. The 2026 theme was […]
Scandinavian Companies: Challenges and Key Success Factors
Posted on June 14, 2026 Written by
My teammate Donald and I, MBA students at Chapman University, participated in a study abroad program in Sweden. During our visit to Volvo Cars in Gothenburg, we learned how a global company adapts its strategy across different markets while maintaining its Scandinavian identity. The visit provided valuable insights into both the challenges and success factors […]
From Skelleftea to Malmo, Tak/Tack Scandinavia!
Posted on June 14, 2026 Written by
After 11 days in Scandinavia, it was time to leave our once in a lifetime experience. Not only did we all expand our understanding of how businesses in Scandinavia tackle issues such as waste management, keeping up with changing consumer needs, greener tactics, and work life balance, we got to experience them firsthand. This blog […]
IKEA’s Challenges and Key Success Factors (Study Abroad Reflection)
Posted on June 14, 2026 Written by
My teammate Donald and I are MBA students at Chapman University (USA). Together with our professor Niklas and classmates, we are participating in a study abroad program in Sweden. During our visit to IKEA in Malmö, we learned how global companies adapt products and strategies for different countries. The Challenges IKEA Faces 1. The Need […]
From Shop Floors to Innovation Hubs: Mapping Sweden’s Macroeconomic Engines
Posted on June 14, 2026 Written by
We recently visited Volvo, the iconic vehicle company that defines Sweden’s international success in the automotive industry. While others might associate Sweden with different cultural staples, business and innovation are the first things that cross my mind when thinking of the country. Going into this region, I expected to learn about effective production in a […]
A Bitter Sweet Ending
Posted on June 13, 2026 Written by
It only felt right that our final business visit was a trip IKEA Malmo. After two weeks of studying scandanavian bsuinesses, we ended at the brand that exported Scandinavia to the rest of the world, one Allen key at a time. However this was not just any IKEA. The Malmo facility sits directly across the […]
