Glossary entry (derived from question below)
German term or phrase:
originäre dispositive Arbeit
English translation:
autonomous dispositive labor
Added to glossary by
Mack Tillman
Jun 13, 2015 18:04
8 yrs ago
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German term
Germany
Always striving to meet perfection!
Native in: German (Variant: Germany) 
, English (Variant: US)
Works in: German to English, English to German
originäre dispositive Arbeit
German to English
Bus/Financial
Economics
factors of production
Die Aufgabe der Unternehmensleitung bezeichnet man als originäre dispositive Arbeit.
The sentence has to do with Erich Gutenberg's definition of the factors of production being (in German) e.g.:
Elementarfaktoren sind die ausführende, d.h. die objektbezogene Arbeit, die Betriebsmittel und Werkstoffe. Die Elementarfaktoren sind direkt am Produktionsprozess beteiligt. Als dispositiven Faktor bezeichnet man das Unternehmensmanagement, dessen Aufgabe es ist, die Produktionsfaktoren zu kombinieren. Die Aufgabe der Unternehmensleitung bezeichnet man als originäre dispositive Arbeit.
I can't find a corresponding englisch expression for: "originäre dispositive Arbeit" even though I tend to interpret it as primarly planning and coordinating work in contrast to object-related work; meaning the work that is carried out due to be charged with it through executive management.
I thought "entrepreneurship" might do the job, but my understanding of entrepreneurship is that it, of course, has to do with planning and coordinating, but merely at start-up and not as an ongoing process.
Perhaps someone has a good idea or has had the same problem at some time. I welcome a lively discussion.
Many thanks in advance.
The sentence has to do with Erich Gutenberg's definition of the factors of production being (in German) e.g.:
Elementarfaktoren sind die ausführende, d.h. die objektbezogene Arbeit, die Betriebsmittel und Werkstoffe. Die Elementarfaktoren sind direkt am Produktionsprozess beteiligt. Als dispositiven Faktor bezeichnet man das Unternehmensmanagement, dessen Aufgabe es ist, die Produktionsfaktoren zu kombinieren. Die Aufgabe der Unternehmensleitung bezeichnet man als originäre dispositive Arbeit.
I can't find a corresponding englisch expression for: "originäre dispositive Arbeit" even though I tend to interpret it as primarly planning and coordinating work in contrast to object-related work; meaning the work that is carried out due to be charged with it through executive management.
I thought "entrepreneurship" might do the job, but my understanding of entrepreneurship is that it, of course, has to do with planning and coordinating, but merely at start-up and not as an ongoing process.
Perhaps someone has a good idea or has had the same problem at some time. I welcome a lively discussion.
Many thanks in advance.
Proposed translations
(English)
| 3 | autonomous dispositive labor |
Michael Martin, MA
|
Proposed translations
56 mins
Michael Martin, MA
United States
United States
Native in German
&
English
Works in field
United States
Creativity wins in the long run
Native in: German (Variant: Germany) , English (Variant: US)
Works in: German to English
Related KudoZ points
:
12
Selected
autonomous dispositive labor
Compare with link below:
"In it the factor of labor, more precisely, of executing labor, separates itself from managerial performance, which is, of course, also a form of labor: dispositive-autonomous labor, not heteronomous labor..."
https://books.google.com/books?id=KuocFCBFB_AC&pg=PA330&lpg=...
"In it the factor of labor, more precisely, of executing labor, separates itself from managerial performance, which is, of course, also a form of labor: dispositive-autonomous labor, not heteronomous labor..."
https://books.google.com/books?id=KuocFCBFB_AC&pg=PA330&lpg=...
Note from asker:
| Hello Martin, please see my comments in the discussion. I also came across the book you are citing and I didn't really feel that comfortable with how it was being translated. Thanks anyway |
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "Martin,
your picking up this translation from Arthur Rich's book did help me in a sense because it caused me to think about your suggestion many times over. Autonomous can really be used because it states that this labor is not depending on anyone else, which actually describes the role of top-level company management being the ultimate authority having the say. Labor, ok.
M-W: Definition of DISPOSITIVE
: directed toward or effecting disposition (as of a case) <dispositive evidence>
M-W: Full Definition of DISPOSITION
1 : the act or the power of disposing or the state of being disposed: as
a : administration, control
b : final arrangement : settlement <the disposition of the case>
c (1) : transfer to the care or possession of another (2) : the power of such transferal
M-W: Definition of — dispose of
...
2 a : to transfer to the control of another <disposing of personal property to a total stranger>
As can be derived from the M-W definitions, I will leave dispositive standing in my translation, i.e., I'll use your suggestion and just paraphrase it just like Gerd Zeitler did on his website: "According to E. Gutenberg (1951), the managerial or entrepreneurial task, as the dispositive factor, includes auxiliary functions such as planing, organizing and controlling." (https://gerdzeitler.wordpress.com/factors-of-production/).
There are days, when I can't see the wood for the trees. ;-) Perhaps you've had some of those, too?"
Discussion
Since I'm not home right now, just a short cell answer to your second note: I'd favor primary over genuine. Your Wiki link also speaks of primary factors and genuine I'd expect in a paper on counterfeit products. As far as I know, the charge against Gutenberg was the same as against other economists: too much "objectification." So I don't know whether a more "humane concept" (no mistranslation, but a sarcastic wordplay) would fit here, i.e. entrepreneurs as people. Something like primary organizational factors/work or similar wouldn't work? That'd be closest to the German.
@ Susan: Sorry, I don't speak Spanish but thanks anyway.
@ Phil: Well, the text is from a course "Einführung in die Betriebswirtschaftslehre" and shall be turned into an English course version. I find that your proposal of combinatory is going in the right direction. Regarding "originär", I favor either genuine or primary.
@ Björn: I second your opinion about "Michael's link may have native speakers as scientists, but mistranslations are nothing new in science (I discovered a few myself last time I wrote a paper on something...)."
Actually I'm thinking of maybe paraphrasing it in a sense to use "genuine entrepreneurial tasks". If you look at Meriam Webster's definition of ENTREPRENEUR: one who organizes, manages, and assumes the risks of a business or enterprise, it seems quite fitting. Also if you look at Wikipedia’s definition of "production factors", you'll also come up with entrepreneurship. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Factors_of_production#Entrepre...
What do you think of this?
http://www.klett.de/web/uploads/91a7bda49120d7e7dd5844fac6ee...
Management can act autonomously - that doesn't make management autonomous labor though.
"Die Unternehmensleitung hat die Aufgabe, die Elementarfaktoren bereitzustellen und im Rahmen der einzelnen Teilbereiche des Unternehmens mithilfe der Unternehmensverfassung und der Unternehmenspolitik zu organisieren."
http://www.klett.de/web/uploads/91a7bda49120d7e7dd5844fac6ee...
Sounds like organizational factors now. Another book about Gutenberg has it as "disposition" factors (with the first word in quotation marks), i.e. a noun modifier. It is definitely not "dispositive" - that has a completely different meaning.
Michael's link may have native speakers as scientists, but mistranslations are nothing new in science (I discovered a few myself last time I wrote a paper on something...).
PS: You can look up Disposition and dispositiv on duden.de - the noun has more connotations than the adjective. And the adjective seems to be a false friend.
Here, it's a bit more complicated. Another explanation of Gutenberg's book reads, "Die betriebswirtschaftlichen Faktoren Betriebsmittel, Werkstoffe und ausführende Arbeit bilden die Elementarfaktoren. Die dispositive Arbeit wird als vierter Produktionsfaktor angesehen. Ihre Aufgabe ist es, die Elementarfaktoren durch Planung, Leitung, Steuerung und Kontrolle zu zweckvollen Faktorkombinationen zusammenzuführen."
http://www.rechnungswesen-verstehen.de/bwl-vwl/bwl/betriebsw...
Somewhat like Production Planning and Control. But "dispositiv" means only "anordnend" here (as in the Duden), which you can find as part of M-W too, under "dispose": to put in place : set in readiness : arrange <disposing troops for withdrawal>
http://dspace.uah.es/dspace/bitstream/handle/10017/6368/B.E....
If it's the latter, I'd be tempted to leave the whole sentence out and put a note to the customer explaining why. Your job is to produce a text that flows and keeps the reader with you, rather than distracting them so that they stop reading and think hang on, what's this all about?
I found the English word "dispositive" being used online in relation to Gutenberg, but I think this is wrong - it appears to be purely a legal term. "Dispositional" doesn't work either, as it means "relating to one's state of mind".
"Combinatory" would be a good choice, as it says "dessen Aufgabe es ist, die Produktionsfaktoren zu kombinieren". But how do we deal with "originär"? The dictionary says distinct, genuine, original or originary.