Discussion with: Davide Zampini, Cemex Research Group

Robert Madeira notes that "Innovation” doesn't have to mean a monolithic, centralized R&D machine. Rather, says Madeira, “Competitive advantage can be developed by shepherding vast amounts of ideas percolating throughout the organization in a manageable and systemic manner.”

On that note, Dr. Davide Zampini, head o f the Cemex Research Group, explained that Cemex decided early on to make the exploitation of knowledge and information a central part of its corporate strategy. He explains that the firm founded the research group in Switzerland in order to act as the operating unit responsible for leading research and development and generation of intellectual property (IP). Thus, the business model lends itself naturally to a central platform for leading, developing, managing, coordinating, sharing and monetizing of know-how and information across the company.

Read the rest of the article in the CemWeek Magazine issue 7.

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