Reebok 2014 Annual Report Download - page 79

adidas Group
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2014 Annual Report
Group Management Report – Our Group
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2014
Research and Development
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02.6
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In 2014, Reebok maintained its long-term biomechanics research relationships with Arizona State
University and the University of Las Vegas. R&D of Reebok hard goods equipment in partnership
with Loughborough University also continued in 2014. In addition, Reebok continued a research
initiative on wearable electronics with the University of Ottawa.
TaylorMade-adidas Golf continued its long-term cooperation with researchers at the University of
Calgary in 2014, identifying the players’ ground interaction style and functional requirements for
footwear.
Active trademark and patent protection policy
To capitalise on the Group’s R&D achievements, we seek patent protection for our innovations.
We also own a substantial portfolio of registered trademarks for the Group’s brands and related
proprietary names. As part of our business policy, we enforce the Group’s trademarks and patents
by monitoring the marketplace for infringements and taking action to prevent them. This includes
a vigorous anti-counterfeiting programme. We also have comprehensive processes, and undertake
significant research, to avoid infringement of third-party intellectual property rights. As we use
a wide range of different technologies in our products, we are not dependent upon any single
technology, or any patent rights related to any single technology.
Highly skilled technical personnel
Our R&D departments comprise experienced and multi-skilled people from different areas of
technical expertise and from diverse cultural backgrounds. Product designers, engineers and
sports scientists as well as material engineering experts focus on product development. Process
and production specialists also form an essential part of our product development competencies.
Other professional backgrounds include software development, electronic engineering, Finite
Element Analysis, advanced CAD design and kinesiology.
The number of people employed in the Group’s R&D activities at December 31, 2014, was 985,
compared to 992 employees in the prior year. This represents 2% of total Group employees. In 2015,
we expect the number of R&D employees to remain stable.
Initiatives to further streamline product creation process
We aim at improving our ability to adapt to changing consumer preferences more quickly, flexibly and
efficiently. We achieve this by facilitating the direct interaction with and involvement of our suppliers
in product creation, quality control, product testing and commercialisation. In 2014, we continued to
enhance our computer simulation research platform to further reduce the time to market of product
innovations. This software system, with its advanced material and design capabilities, allows for
more creativity in the design phase and significantly improves the level of product detailing. While
increasing speed and reducing the need for physical product samples and testing in the R&D
process, the benefits also translate into other Group commercial and efficiency initiatives. Advanced
3-D models contributed to the Group’s cross-functional virtualisation project, where between 2010,
when this project began, and year-end 2014 we reduced the number of manufactured physical
samples by over 18%. An additional benefit of creating virtual assets is their application in other
areas, such as e-commerce, computer games, virtual merchandising and digital communication.
see Risk and Opportunity Report, p. 154
see Global Operations, p. 66