Stabfunktion

English translation: carried out by a subgroup/committee

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
German term or phrase:Stabfunktion
English translation:carried out by a subgroup/committee
Entered by: Hannah Gunasingh

15:52 Nov 14, 2007
German to English translations [PRO]
Bus/Financial - Management / risk management
German term or phrase: Stabfunktion
Das Risikomanagement ist als Stabfunktion direkt der Geschäftsführung unterstellt
Hannah Gunasingh
India
Local time: 18:57
carried out by a subgroup/committee
Explanation:
Risk management is carried out by a subgroup/committee which reports directly to the management.

This is related to the word "Stabstelle", which is an advisory or assistance body (i.e. a subgroup, committee, department, working party, advisory group etc.) that is not bound into the normal hierarchy of the organisation and reports directly to the management. So the members of this subgroup do not give instructions to the technical, financial or administrative staff - they report to the management, and the management then decides what instructions to give to the other departments.

So this "Stabfunktion" is not an executive-level committee - it merely provides informatoin to the executive board or management.

The term "staff function" has an unintended second meaning in British English - it is a synonym for the "office party" (Christmas is a-coming). So I would tend to avoid this term.

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Note added at 1 hr (2007-11-14 17:30:39 GMT)
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http://www.stgeorge.com.au/about/investor/governance/risk_ch...
(defines the role of a "risk management committee" in a bank in Australia).
http://www.aaps.ed.ac.uk/Committees/RiskMgt/Remit/Membership...
(in a university in Scotland)
http://www.coal.gov.uk/resources/boardmeetings/bmnovember200...
(and in the coal authority of the UK)
Selected response from:

Victor Dewsbery
Germany
Local time: 14:27
Grading comment
Thanks - very helpful
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +2staff function
Kim Metzger
3 +3carried out by a subgroup/committee
Victor Dewsbery
2 +1leave it out
Jonathan MacKerron


  

Answers


7 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +2
staff function


Explanation:
A staff function is a secondary business activity that supports the line functions of a business to achieve the objectives. In business management, staff functions are usually defined as all functions that are not line functions. The nature of this function is advisory. The people belonging to this function investigate, research, and give advice to their line managers.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Staff_function

Risk assessment is comprised of the first two elements, identification and assess- ment of both the failure moctes and hazards, and the safety risks associated with them. Risk assessment is or should be a staff function, the results of which are proviclect as input to management.

http://books.nap.edu/openbook.php?record_id=10616&page=33


Kim Metzger
Mexico
Local time: 07:27
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 131

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Ken Cox: still a current concept AFAIK
1 hr

agree  pfifficus
5 hrs
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48 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 2/5Answerer confidence 2/5 peer agreement (net): +1
leave it out


Explanation:
is what my last German contractor told me to do when I asked her how to deal with this notion. If I remember correctly she came up with something like "directly under the responsibility/authority of"

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Note added at 52 mins (2007-11-14 16:44:40 GMT)
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"administrative department" is non-commital enough to work

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Note added at 1 hr (2007-11-14 16:56:31 GMT)
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the risk management function is directly subordinate to

Jonathan MacKerron
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 56

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Peter Manda (X)
23 mins
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +3
carried out by a subgroup/committee


Explanation:
Risk management is carried out by a subgroup/committee which reports directly to the management.

This is related to the word "Stabstelle", which is an advisory or assistance body (i.e. a subgroup, committee, department, working party, advisory group etc.) that is not bound into the normal hierarchy of the organisation and reports directly to the management. So the members of this subgroup do not give instructions to the technical, financial or administrative staff - they report to the management, and the management then decides what instructions to give to the other departments.

So this "Stabfunktion" is not an executive-level committee - it merely provides informatoin to the executive board or management.

The term "staff function" has an unintended second meaning in British English - it is a synonym for the "office party" (Christmas is a-coming). So I would tend to avoid this term.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 hr (2007-11-14 17:30:39 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

http://www.stgeorge.com.au/about/investor/governance/risk_ch...
(defines the role of a "risk management committee" in a bank in Australia).
http://www.aaps.ed.ac.uk/Committees/RiskMgt/Remit/Membership...
(in a university in Scotland)
http://www.coal.gov.uk/resources/boardmeetings/bmnovember200...
(and in the coal authority of the UK)

Victor Dewsbery
Germany
Local time: 14:27
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 8
Grading comment
Thanks - very helpful

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Paul Cohen: Well documented, Victor. And it makes sense! I also agree with your comments on "staff function."
1 hr

agree  Steffen Walter
6 hrs

agree  Kim Metzger
7 hrs
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