A Global Perspective on Business Innovation

As I took my daughter Katy to the airport recently, I couldn’t help but marvel at her growth. A student at the University of San Diego, she participates in the school’s International Study program, which has given her the opportunity to live and learn in Florence, Paris, London and Cork. During her time in each city, she will have hands-on experience with international perspectives and cultures in preparation for her role as a global citizen.

As a business leader, I see parallels with Konica Minolta’s place in a globally complex world. While the company headquarters are in Japan, less than 10,000 of our employees work there. The majority of our 41,800-strong workforce is spread across the globe, including our own North American headquarters here in Ramsey, NJ.

Also across the globe are our new Business Innovation Centers. Established in Singapore; Foster City, Calif.; London and Japan, these BICs are designed to identify new business technology solutions to provide accelerated growth opportunities through acquisition, investment or platform integration. A fifth BIC will soon open in China. As engines of growth for Konica Minolta, Inc. businesses, the BICs will work closely with a diverse range of entities, including research institutions, partner companies, and venture capitalists and startups to identify new business areas, products, services and technologies. Through the BICs, we will work to gain a deeper understanding of our customers’ evolving needs, industry forces and technologies that are reshaping businesses.

Another way in which we will reshape business is through the Global Strategy Council of Konica Minolta Inc. The Council, to which I was appointed last year, reports directly to Masatoshi Matsuzaki, Chief Executive Officer of Konica Minolta Inc., and focuses on business transformation and growth strategies for Konica Minolta globally. In this role, members curate ideas to continue to transform our company into a true global organization, capable of capitalizing on the opportunities that lie ahead.

Just as Katy’s study abroad will give her the tools to join a global workforce, so, too, Konica Minolta will continue to look across the world for innovations to help our customers improve their speed to market, manage technology costs, and facilitate the sharing of information to increase productivity.

Join my conversation @ricktaylor444.