Sep 15, 2011 09:15
12 yrs ago
2 viewers *
Spanish term

gestionar por superposición

Spanish to English Bus/Financial Other
Hi all,

This is from the same Management by Objectives action plan. The last line of the document is a command:

¡No gestiones por superposición!

I´m drawing a blank on this one. The rest of the document outlines management strategies (Focus, Define objectives, Prioritize, Estimate time needed, etc). The term "superposición" does not appear anywhere else in the document.

Thanks in advance.

Discussion

Laura Kiernan (asker) Sep 18, 2011:
Thanks, Sian. I haven´t made the choice yet, actually, as this translation could pushed aside by the agency for another, more urgent one. But I´m working on it now! Thanks for the advice. I am leaning towards Charles´s analysis as well. Need to do a little more research!
Sian Bowen Sep 15, 2011:
Hola Laura. No doubt you´ve made your choice by now! However, on micro management, this has more of the sense of "pernickety", but it´s still pointing in the right direction........you could always opt for "no management by superposition", re-creating the awful original text. ¡Suerte! Sian

Proposed translations

5 mins

don't manage by superposition

Declined
General superposition strategies and asset allocation
dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/40384 - Cached
by AW Lo - 2007
General superposition strategies and asset allocation. Show full ... Institute of Technology, Sloan School of Management, Operations Research Center, 2007. ...

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11 mins

No management by enforcement

Declined
This would seem to be a good strategy!
Hope it helps.
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26 mins

Don't manage by force!

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I'm not sure the direct translation of "superposición" works, but this might.
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47 mins

No command and control!

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The word "superposition" is one of the worst examples of management jargon I´ve seen for years. It appears to be being used by some organizational management theorists to describe the dominance of particular functions i.e. control functions or information functions in the design and functioning of organisations. In the context here, I believe the source text is using this fashionable jargon (taken from quantum physics) to describe a very old phenomenon, which is what used to be known as the "command and control" style of management, which means the detailed supervision at task level of all activity, and people. Which is exactly the opposite of the management by objectives approach which is implied in your extract from the text. This is where you make people accountable for the objectives and let them get on with it.
Example sentence:

We have to change from a command and control approach to managing by objectives.

Note from asker:
Thanks Sian. I feel like your explanation and Charles´s ideas (specifically, the idea of ¨superposición¨ as overlapping of duties) make the most sense to me. Is command and control the same thing as micromanagement? Or am I going too far there? Thanks so much for your help.
Hi Sian, Thanks for your help on this one; it was really helpful. Since I really wasn't clear on the meaning from the context of the source text (it could have gone either way - the overlapping/duplication or command/control route), I ended up emailing the client for more clarification. They still haven't responded - if they ever do I'll let you all know! Thanks again.
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+1
29 mins

avoid duplication of management

Declined
"Superposición" looks as though it ought to mean the same as "imposition" here (ie. don't manage the business is a dictatorial manner), but in principle it doesn't mean that and I can't find any instances of "superposición" being used in that sense in relation to business managemente. On the contrary, it is used in the sense that the literal meaning would suggest: overlap or duplication or management functions, which is inefficient, costly and causes disruption through contradictions.

"También creo que habría que eliminar la doble jurisdicción, porque esta doble jurisdicción lo único que genera son problemas de superposición de gestión"
http://www.consejo.org.ar/Bib_elect/junio04_CT/jornada/texto...

"Each Fauji Company shall ensure the principle of "Unity in Management" i.e., there shall be no duplication of management functions and roles"
http://www.fauji.org.pk/webforms/BusinessPrinciples.aspx?Id=...

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Note added at 3 hrs (2011-09-15 12:49:09 GMT)
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I have tried and, so far, failed to find any evidence that "superposición", in the context of business management, can mean imposition, enforcement, micromanagement or indeed any other style of management. All I can find is "superposición de funciones", ie., duplication or overlap, and in that sense it is fairly common. I think we'd need some evidence in order to conclude that it means something else here.
Note from asker:
Hi Charles, Thanks for your analysis and work on this one; it was really helpful. Since I really wasn't clear on the meaning from the context of the source text (it could have gone either way - the overlapping/duplication or command/control route), I ended up emailing the client for more clarification. They still haven't responded - if they ever do I'll let you all know! Thanks again.
Peer comment(s):

agree anademahomar
18 hrs
Thanks, Ana :)
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