Oracle 2014 Annual Report Download - page 21

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Table of Contents
However, we do rely on sole sources for certain of our hardware products. As a result, we continue to evaluate potential risks of disruption to our
supply chain operations. Refer to “Risk Factors” included in Item 1A within this Annual Report for additional discussion of the challenges we
encounter with respect to the sources and availability of supplies for our products and the related risks to our business.
Research and Development
We develop the substantial majority of our products internally. In addition, we have extended our product offerings and intellectual property
through acquisitions of businesses and technologies. We also purchase or license intellectual property rights in certain circumstances. Internal
development allows us to maintain technical control over the design and development of our products. We have a number of United States and
foreign patents and pending applications that relate to various aspects of our products and technology. While we believe that our patents have
value, no single patent is essential to us or to any of our principal business segments. Research and development expenditures were $5.5 billion,
$5.2 billion and $4.9 billion in fiscal 2015, 2014 and 2013, respectively, or 14% of total revenues in fiscal 2015 and 13% of total revenues in
each of fiscal 2014 and 2013. Rapid technological advances in hardware and software development, evolving standards in computer hardware
and software technology, changing customer needs and frequent new product introductions and enhancements characterize the software and
cloud and hardware markets in which we compete. We plan to continue to dedicate a significant amount of resources to research and
development efforts to maintain and improve our current product and services offerings.
Employees
As of May 31, 2015, we employed approximately 132,000 full-time employees, including approximately 35,000 in sales and marketing,
approximately 11,000 in software license updates and product support, approximately 6,000 in our cloud SaaS, PaaS and IaaS operations,
approximately 1,000 in the manufacturing of our hardware systems products, approximately 5,000 in hardware systems support, approximately
23,000 in services, approximately 38,000 in research and development and approximately 13,000 in general and administrative positions. Of
these employees, approximately 49,000 were employed in the United States and approximately 83,000 were employed internationally. None of
our employees in the United States is represented by a labor union; however, in certain foreign subsidiaries labor unions or workers’ councils
represent some of our employees.
Available Information
Our Annual Report on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, Current Reports on Form 8-K and amendments to those reports filed
pursuant to Sections 13(a) and 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, are available, free of charge, on our Investor Relations
website at www.oracle.com/investor as soon as reasonably practicable after we electronically file such material with, or furnish it to, the United
States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The information posted on or accessible through our website is not incorporated into this
Annual Report.
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