Seminar - Reverse Innovation, Emerging Markets, and Global Strategy

The seminar will be given by Dr. Corrado Ghidini, Founder and CEO, IBD - Italian Biomedical Devices.

  • Date: 23 March 2018

  • Event location: Room A4, School of Engineering and Architecture, viale Rasi e Spinelli 176, Cesena (FC)

Contact Name:

About the speaker

Corrado Ghidini, MD, DDS. MBA.

Doctor in Dental Medicine and Internal Medicine, Medicine and Surgery at the university of Bologna. Master in Business Administration at the Imperial College of London. Entrepreneur, lecturer, writer and event organizer. Founder and CEO of two of the most successful dental practices in Italy. Founder and CEO of IBD, a startup devoted to reverse innovate a wide spectrum of biomedical devices, starting with Hemodyalisis, to make it affordable and accessible worldwide. Medical Researcher with over 70 scientific publications.

Fellow and collaborator of Carl Gugino, Robert Ricketts and Frank Edwards. Event organizer of the most successful national and international dental meetings and courses in Italy in the last 20 years. Author and editor of the textbook “Management of the dental and orthodontic office”. Founder of AERO, a cultural association that holds a reputation of excellence in organising and delivering Courses in Dental field. Founder and Volunteer Doctor of "Progetto Castiglione”, volunteering with children since 1999, treating pediatric patients affected by facial malformation of various kinds.

Abstract

“Reverse innovation” refers to the case where an innovation is adopted first in poor (emerging)economies before ‘trickling up' to rich countries. Although examples of reverse innovation are still rare, it raises interesting theoretical questions, such as what kinds of innovation emerging economies are likely to spawn, why such innovations might diffuse to rich countries, what competitive advantages local and foreign firms enjoy in this process, and how it affects the global strategy and organization of established MNEs. Research on reverse innovation can enrich and extend mainstream theories of innovation, internationalization, MNE management and FDI spillovers.

The model industrial manufacturers in biomedical field have followed for decades — developing high-end products at home and adapting them for other markets around the world — won’t suffice as growth slows in rich nations. To tap opportunities in emerging markets and pioneer value segments in wealthy countries, companies must learn reverse innovation: developing products in countries like China and India and then distributing them globally.

While multinationals need both approaches, there are deep conflicts between the two. But those conflicts can be overcome. If industrialized countries manufactured don't master reverse innovation, the emerging giants could destroy the companies. We strongly suggest that, young biomedical engineers, rather than being managed should tap into the career opportunity represented by the reverse innovation approach.