Elizabeth Kelly (asker) Aug 16, 2012:

Thanks All! @Werner: It's not just about exchanging it 35 times, it is about exchanging it in 35 documents where it appears many times in each one of them. Some of them have been translated by another translator and some of them will be translated by yet another translator. So it will involve a lot of coordination and effort. I just wanted some reassurance from fellow professionals before opening this can of worms :)

roboter Aug 16, 2012:

I assume common term is operatives Geschäft, connected withe the compsny's bussiness, but der operative Betrieb is more technical, so I didn't propose Betriebsstandard personally. To be honest I am light confused with the Term betrieblich, perhaps without any real reason.

Ingrun Wenge Aug 16, 2012:

strictly speaking, this is true Yet you can still have a "Betriebsrat", a "betriebsbedingte Kündigung" etc. in a publishing house or an insurance company, i.e. "betrieblich" and "Betrieb" is not necessarily confined to the industrial sector.

Renate Radziwill-Rall Aug 16, 2012:

my doubts about "betrieblich" since it is an insurance company, they do not have a "Betrieb"

Elizabeth Kelly (asker) Aug 16, 2012:

No... that's how I feel about it! I just needed someone to confirm that it wasn't just me! I like "betriebliche Richtlinien", why don't you put it in as an answer Ingrun?

Ingrun Wenge Aug 16, 2012:

I'd say, yes From the reader's point of view, e.g. "betriebliche Richtlinien" would be much clearer. Any native speaker would instantly know what the document is about. Therefore I would recommend changing it. But maybe that's just me...

Elizabeth Kelly (asker) Aug 16, 2012:

Thanks Ingrun.. that's exactly why it is bothering me. It just does not sound right. The problem is that if I change it, it will have to be implemented in 35 other documents. So, do you think it's worth it?

Lieselotte Kleinhans Aug 16, 2012:

yes... I think you could use all of Ingrun's expressions. How do you translate the whole title then?

Ingrun Wenge Aug 16, 2012:

well... I agree with you that "operative" is not very idiomatic, but then again it is one of those expressions that are widely used nowadays, and many non-linguists would probably feel that it is just fine.

Elizabeth Kelly (asker) Aug 16, 2012:

yes... this was my thinking as well. What do you think about "operative Standards"? Do you think I should leave it as is? Am I just "nitpicking2?

Ingrun Wenge Aug 16, 2012:

betriebliche... Hi Elizabeth, I was thinking that maybe "betriebliche" might do the job, i.e. something along the lines of betriebliche Standards, Betriebsstandards, betriebliche Richtlinien. Just to get things started...