Research Details

Abstract

The case examines the remarkable international expansion strategy of Cemex, a company that began as a local firm in a developing economy and rose to the top ranks of the global cement industry. Cemex offers a striking example of how a company can take leadership of the process of globalization. The case considers how Cemex took advantage of shifting distribution and communications technologies to establish itself as a market maker in the nascent international trading market for cement. The ability to arbitrage across its many buyer and seller markets, achieved through the acquisition of pivotal assets and investment in superior information technology, has become a key source of competitive advantage for the company. The case illustrates several features of international business, including the design of strategy to meet global competition, modes of entry into international markets, and more generally how the forces of globalization are reshaping the general run of industries.

Type

Article

Author(s)

Alberto Salvo, Daniel Spulber

Date Published

2006

Citations

Salvo, Alberto, and Daniel Spulber. 2006. CEMEX: International Market Maker in Cement. Journal of Strategic Management Education.: 1-24.