|
Home / Business / Management
Translation of Internal Reports & Communications
By:Nigel Massey
In today's global economy, it is not only trade that is international. It’s the companies and their employees too. Therefore it’s increasingly common to have companies with a variety of languages spoken in the divisions. So perhaps we should expect that translation of internal reports and communications is a regular occurrence?
I have worked at some pretty large international companies and from my own experience most businesses have not adapted to the language needs of the company. In fact most have not localized and translated their mission statement.
What seems to happen is either: 1) the company informally states that there is a single core language of the company and therefore the translation of internal reports and communications is not required. 2) An internal effort is made to ‘translate’ information on an as requested basis.
Let us consider these in turn:
Single Language Company – Trying to pretend that you have a single language company when you don’t, is a ‘head in the sand’ approach. This can lead to some of the following issues:
1) Alienation of staff and divisions.
2) Staff turnover – In addition to (1) the career track of an employee will be linked to their ability to speak the core language rather then whether they are the best person for the job.
3) Poorly communicated objectives. If the objective is not fully understandable by all involved, then how can you expect a 100% fulfillment of the objective?
4) Lack of a common business culture.
Internal Translation – Internal translation is certainly better than no translation at all. But this has its own potential issues:
1) Is the translator capable?
2) Are all the documents translated? And are they translated in time? If the translation of internal reports and communications is a secondary task, does the translation always get carried out on time? / at all?!
3) Confidentiality – Jungle drums (informal communications) always beat strongly inside a company. I have seen that some tasks are more confidential when carried out externally.
4) Is the internal translation carried out at the expense of time spent on another core activity or objective?
When you consider the cost of quality you should consider the costs of not having quality. I believe that the cost of translating internal documentation should be considered similarly. For some organizations the issue of translating internal reports will be less important then for others.
But when such translation is necessary, perhaps the cost is lower then first thought? Routine report translations is a task regular enough to warrant more detailed discussion with the translation agency and should allow pricing agreements that are below what is attainable for ad hoc translation projects.
For more information about the translation of internal reports visit http://www.axistranslations.com
Digg
del.icio.us
Blink
Stumble
Spurl
Reddit
Netscape
Furl
Article keywords: translation, translating, translator, languages, italian, english, business, financial, legal, documents, reports
Article Source: http://www.articles2k.com
The author has worked internationally for many years and is now co-owner of the translation and interpreting agency ‘Axis Translations’ where you can find assistance with a wide range of language matters.
|
|
| Top Management Articles |
- 1). Nine Reasons Why Mentoring Matters to You By : Kevin
There are many roles we play or hats we wear in our lives. We are professionals, family members, brothers, sisters, co-workers, leaders, coaches, friends, parents, and neighbors to name just a few. While you may not wear all of the hats I listed, you can likely add several more that I left out! Many of these roles are a given – we don’t have much choice of having the role – they come with being a responsible adult.
|
- 2). Project Management - Design and Development Projects By : Michael Russell
There’s no getting away from it, design and development projects are a nightmare to manage successfully, particularly the development of software. Nonetheless, in these days of customers requiring ever increasing functionality and ever more sophisticated technology, they are sometimes necessary.
Your company almost certainly has procedures in place such as Make or Buy (do you design/build the item yourselves or do you sub-contract) and Design to Cost (you’ve estimated how much it will cost, now make sure that it doesn’t run over budget.
|
- 3). Defining Supply Chain Management By : James Hunt
Companies that deal with inventory will have to have some sort of system in place to effectively manage the supply chain that exists for any type of sales. A system of inventory needs to be as smooth running as possible so that a company is able to fulfill all its orders in a timely manner...
|
- 4). Customer Advisory Boards By : Paul Lemberg
Customer Advisory Boards are a great source of information about your market and your business. Their advice is more valuable than any management consultant's. They provide real world counsel on what you are doing right, what you are doing wrong, and most important -how to stay competitive. After all, they're the customer. They're the one's who buy your stuff.
|
- 5). 6 Ways to Maximize Learning By : Steve Kaye
Here's how to gain the most from training events.
1) Know what you want
Before the workshop, set learning goals for yourself. What do you want to learn? How can this program help you? What would make you feel that your time was well spent?
2) Ask for what you want
As the program unfolds, ask questions that guide the presentation toward the information that you need.
|
- 6). Save Face, Time, and Money on Your Next IT Project By : Leslie Whinery
How many times have you been involved in a project where a newly-released piece of software required an immediate enhancement because the right people were not “in the loop”? This is an example of how poor communication costs money and damages the reputation of an Information Technology (IT) Team.
Well-managed communication can increase the rates of success on your IT projects by improving relations between you and your customers and decreasing the odds of hasty last-minute enhancements, thus saving face, saving time, and saving money.
|
- 7). Decision Making "Pub" By : Claude Jollet
This article will help transform your decision making process into “PUB” - Pure Unadulterated Bliss!
Think I'm exaggerating? Well ... maybe just a little!:-) But, see for yourself anyway! You might be in for a pleasant surprise. The way I make decisions in complex situations has – at least – the merit of turning decision making into an effective, satisfying, even reassuring experience.
|
- 8). The CEO is 10,000 feet above the fire By : Larry Galler
How many times have you heard a business owner or manager say that they spend their workday “always sweating at putting out fires?” I hear it all the time.
Think of a raging forest fire. There are sweaty fire fighters working hard, just yards in front of the flames. There is one person in a helicopter 10,000 feet above the flames. Those on the ground and the one in the helicopter are all looking at the same fire but they have totally different views.
|
- 9). CPAs vs. Non-Certified Accountants - Clearing Up The Confusion By : John Day
I wish I had a nickel for every time someone asked me what the difference is between CPAs and non-certified accountants. Essentially, non-certified accountants can simply hang up their shingle and open their doors for business. There are no educational requirements. If they want to prepare taxes, most states require a certain number of qualified hours of study plus continuing education hours each year.
|
- 10). Many Kinds Of Banks - Many Kinds Of Accounts By : Sintilia Miecevole
Sometimes looking into opening an account or accounts in banks can be confusing. There are so many types of banks and bank accounts! Which banks are right for you to open anaccount in? Which types of accounts do you need to open? Below are some simple explanations of several types of banks and the accounts you can open. One will surely be right for you!
There are many kinds of banks:
1.
|
| New Management Articles |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
- 7). Double Your Profits with Business Coaching By : Kris Koonar
Business as we all know, involves risk. Since starting up your own business means starting a new chapter of your life, you may fail to recognize a few shortcomings in your business plans, as you are too engrossed and feel that things are going great.
|
- 8). Modern Business Strategies and Tactics By : Kris Koonar
Modern business strategies and tactics often concentrate on developing international brands and products, but before developing any product it is important to assess the potential worldwide demand.
|
- 9). Avoiding Poor Time Management By : ian Williamson
Around midnight students across the country become record setting authors by finishing essays, and study groups for tests in unheard of time. This unnerving process often leads to below average results. Many people wonder why this is happening, the answer is poor time management.
|
|
|
|
|
