Siemens 2014 Annual Report Download - page 186

108 A. To our Shareholders 131 B. Corporate Governance 171 C. Combined Management Report
172 C. Business and economic environment
187 C. Financial performance system
193 C. Results of operations
205 C. Financial position
210 C. Net assets position
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Operating system and Corporate Memory
We manage our Company in accordance with specific, clearly
defined priorities. Our One Siemens operating system sets the
following four priorities: Customer proximity, innovation, busi-
ness excellence, as well as people excellence and care. In addi-
tion, the Corporate Memory – our knowledge management –
ensures that we learn from mistakes and keep our work focused
on success.
Customer proximity: Profitable growth is based on proximity
to our customers and on an understanding of their individual
requirements. To meet and exceed our customers’ expecta-
tions, we invest in local sales presence and support for spe-
cific groups of market partners. Our key account management
approach is just one successful example of this. We are repre-
sented in virtually every country in the world by Regional Com-
panies that operate as local partners to our customers. We also
exploit our in-depth knowledge of customer processes and
continually develop our offerings for key verticals in a targeted
manner – across organizational boundaries. To regularly gauge
the satisfaction of our customers around the world, we use a
uniform measure, the Net Promoter Score.
Innovation: Innovation is essential for ensuring long-term
competitiveness. This applies to our entire portfolio of prod-
ucts, solutions and services. Added value for our customers is
based increasingly on software and IT solutions. As a result, we
have made this field a particular focus of our attention – for
example, through research and development activities in soft-
ware architecture and platforms. Tools such as partner net-
works are enabling us to manage highly effective innovation
processes and an open innovation culture. We are concentrat-
ing on new technology-driven growth areas as well as innova-
tive business models.
Business excellence: We want to do an excellent job of man-
aging our businesses while pursuing our aim of continuous
improvement. For this, we have developed outstanding tools
that we intend to apply with even greater rigor in the future.
These tools enable us, for instance, to benchmark our per-
formance against the best and to increase our productivity.
Tightening our risk management approach is helping us iden-
tify project risks while still in the bidding phase and thus
avoid costly project delays. Last but not least, we are fostering
our service business across organizational boundaries – for
example, by developing service platforms.
People excellence and care: Excellent employees are the
heart and soul of Siemens. That is how it has always been. And
we want it to be even more so in the future. Therefore we are
anchoring an ownership culture at our Company. For us, this is
not an abstract idea but a concrete goal that we are pursuing
with measures we can track. After all, the behavior, motivation
and values of the people who work for Siemens mold our cul-
ture. In an attractive working environment, we promote lifelong
learning and personal development. Integrity – supported by a
well-established compliance system – remains the prin ciple
that guides our conduct. Our share programs are enabling us
to increase employee participation in our Company’s success,
while bringing us closer every day to a lived ownership culture.
Sustainability and citizenship
We contribute to sustainable development by maintaining a
responsible balance at company level between profit, planet
and people.
> Profit: by having a range of products, solutions and services
that makes a difference worldwide, because it provides cus-
tomers with decisive competitive advantages.
>
Planet: by utilizing our planet’s limited resources responsibly
and by enabling our customers to improve their own environ-
mental performance.
>
People: by living a culture that strengthens our employees’
sense of responsibility worldwide, fosters their development
and places integrity at the center of our Company’s activities.
As good corporate citizens, we are also contributing to the
sustainable development of society through our portfolio, our
local presence worldwide and our role as a thought leader.