Case Study Bukowski Bear
The internationalisation of the firm
- An adapted case study
By Tomas Sylverberg
Background and History
Bukowski Design manufactures and sells teddy bears all over the world. It has five employees in Sweden, however, when the firm needs more workers, then they are hired by the hour. Usually this occurs when the firm has special promotion tours or visits trade fairs. Globally, the firm employs more than a thousand people. The firm started its activities by selling office material to Kooperativa Förbundet, Bokea and other big firms in Sweden. The products the firm sold were diaries, pencils, pencil cases, notebooks, etc. Then the firm most of the products were designed by other designers but the firm also designed some products. Most of the products were bought from Asian countries, such as Korea, Taiwan, and China.
The current product was invented by a coincidence, the two first teddy bears were made for the CEO's sons when they were born. The CEO says that she always wanted to sell this kind of products, but thought that the firm should stick to its known products and customers, instead of investing in high-risk projects. She then made seven prototype teddy bears. She went to Poland, bought material, and found a small factory that made the teddy bears professionally. The teddy bears were shown at the Formex Trade Fair 8 in 1989, together with the firms’ office products. This Trade Fair gave a first indication that the product could become a best-seller. Instead of getting orders for its established products, everybody started to order teddy bears. The CEO means that this was quite a surprise, as these teddy bears that were like most of the teddy bears in the present collection, with an old look that resembles English teddy bears. At that time, the teddy bears that were sold in Sweden were more elaborate, while her teddy bears had a rougher look, which made them unique in the market segment.
The success at the Trade Fair made the firm return for the next
- An adapted case study
By Tomas Sylverberg
Background and History
Bukowski Design manufactures and sells teddy bears all over the world. It has five employees in Sweden, however, when the firm needs more workers, then they are hired by the hour. Usually this occurs when the firm has special promotion tours or visits trade fairs. Globally, the firm employs more than a thousand people. The firm started its activities by selling office material to Kooperativa Förbundet, Bokea and other big firms in Sweden. The products the firm sold were diaries, pencils, pencil cases, notebooks, etc. Then the firm most of the products were designed by other designers but the firm also designed some products. Most of the products were bought from Asian countries, such as Korea, Taiwan, and China.
The current product was invented by a coincidence, the two first teddy bears were made for the CEO's sons when they were born. The CEO says that she always wanted to sell this kind of products, but thought that the firm should stick to its known products and customers, instead of investing in high-risk projects. She then made seven prototype teddy bears. She went to Poland, bought material, and found a small factory that made the teddy bears professionally. The teddy bears were shown at the Formex Trade Fair 8 in 1989, together with the firms’ office products. This Trade Fair gave a first indication that the product could become a best-seller. Instead of getting orders for its established products, everybody started to order teddy bears. The CEO means that this was quite a surprise, as these teddy bears that were like most of the teddy bears in the present collection, with an old look that resembles English teddy bears. At that time, the teddy bears that were sold in Sweden were more elaborate, while her teddy bears had a rougher look, which made them unique in the market segment.
The success at the Trade Fair made the firm return for the next