Annual Report 2010 - Knorr-Bremse AG.

126 RepoR t | KnoRR-BR e MSe GR o U p
in this region climbed to 21.4% (2009: 18.4%). This increase also reflects the extremely positive growth
of Knorr-Bremse’s business in Asia/Australia.
Human resources development
Knorr-Bremse stands for outstanding, globally recognized products, processes and services. The
Group’s human resources policy plays an important supporting role by providing for systematic and
targeted HR development and placing particular emphasis on international job assignments around
the entire globe. In the year under review, the HR development instruments defined in the Human
Resources Roadmap and the People Excellence Initiative (PEX) were harmonized worldwide and implemented
in all Knorr-Bremse locations.
A comprehensive talent management program develops qualified successors for key management
positions and offers high potentials attractive career opportunities within the Group. The International
Development Center and International Development Programs modules for junior managers were
redesigned and reworked during the period under review. The Development Center, which is held
several times each year, allows Knorr-Bremse to identify individual strengths and areas for improvement
and to define targeted and systematic professional development measures for each participant.
The Leadership Feedback initiative, which was successfully completed in November 2010, for the first
time featured a uniform international questionnaire and made use of a supporting online program.
Approximately 1,000 managers in over 50 locations were evaluated by around 13,000 employees. This
confidential and anonymized process aims to promote and optimize cooperation within each team by
allowing managers to receive feedback from their employees on their leadership skills.
2010 also saw the revision of the staff dialogue – the regular performance review process between
supervisor and employee – and the introduction of a uniform global standard for performance review
procedures and timing.
Management Evolution Program (MEP)
Successfully established twelve years ago, Knorr-Bremse’s Management Evolution Program (MEP)
gives new hires the opportunity to participate in three important projects as trainees, gaining valuable
insights into operations in different parts of the Group. The combination of direct project responsibility
and special training courses helps to develop the trainees’ hard and soft skills in a professional
context. In the year under review, strong growth in the Asia region led to the inclusion of two Chinese
and one Indian participant in the program for the first time. Knorr-Bremse has given priority to the
continued internationalization of the MEP.
University marketing
In 2010 Knorr-Bremse again participated in around 40 human resources and recruiting fairs, strengthening
the awareness and position of the company among university professors and departments as
well as university graduates. Cooperation agreements with well-known universities and colleges in
Germany and other locations around the world allowed early links to be forged between Knorr-Bremse