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knowledge worker

German translation: Wissenarbeiter

18:05 Nov 10, 2011
English to German translations [PRO]
Bus/Financial - Business/Commerce (general) / corporate management
English term or phrase: knowledge worker
Knowledge worker seams to be an established english term to describe an employee or freelancer with a large amount of knowledge, not just in his or her specific field but also about the inner workings of the company. Sometimes flexibility of workplace also seems to play a role. I did find the german translation "Wissensarbeiter" in various places online (and also here on Proz.com), but would like to know if that is a respected and comprehensible term in german business.

Context:
To best achieve this, corporate executives must rely upon the expertise of the employees of each organization. It is not enough to have an outsider, unfamiliar with the inner workings of the organization, make an evaluation of the organization and its strengths. Such internal "knowledge workers" must be located to obtain a fair and valid assessment of each firm's strengths and weaknesses.
Kordula Coleman
United States
Local time: 09:44
German translation:Wissenarbeiter
Explanation:
I've done some extensive research, as I'm curious now myself and also did ask a few colleagues in Germany. Apparently it is quite a common term, used for a certain type of worker. I also found the description in the link below, which confirmed the answers I got. I now am fairly certain about my answer.

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Note added at 50 mins (2011-11-10 18:56:10 GMT)
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http://www.enzyklopaedie-der-wirtschaftsinformatik.de/wi-enz...

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 51 mins (2011-11-10 18:56:59 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Sorry... "Wissensarbeiter", not "Wissenarbeiter".

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 hr (2011-11-10 19:14:59 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

You're welcome. I also think, that it's a winner. ;)
(I hope so anyway)

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 day1 hr (2011-11-11 19:19:07 GMT) Post-grading
--------------------------------------------------

Gern geschehen. :)
Selected response from:

Oliver Hartmann (X)
United Kingdom
Local time: 15:44
Grading comment
Vielen Dank, Oliver, und Euch allen!!!
3 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +7Wissenarbeiter
Oliver Hartmann (X)
5 +1Interner Koordinator für das Fach- und Methodenwissen im Unternehmen
Werner Walther
4 +1Insider
Matthias Brombach
4 -2Mitarbeiter
Emily Weidmann


Discussion entries: 2





  

Answers


13 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): -2
Mitarbeiter


Explanation:
A knowledge worker is a coworker, somone that works in the same coompany.

Example sentence(s):
  • He liked the new knowledge worker.

    Reference: http://www.linguee.com
    ww
Emily Weidmann
Germany
Local time: 16:44
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in GermanGerman
PRO pts in category: 4
Notes to answerer
Asker: Thanks, Emily, but why does the author of the text not just use 'coworker', then? There seems to be a certain amount of competence about the type of worker he is describing, at least I'm getting that impression.


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
disagree  Andrea Flaßbeck (X): definitely not
1 hr
disagree  Cetacea: Neither the example sentence nor the reference support this (wrong) translation.
19 hrs
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3 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): +1
Interner Koordinator für das Fach- und Methodenwissen im Unternehmen


Explanation:

Das ist die optimale Formulierung für diese Aufgabe.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 3 Stunden (2011-11-10 21:51:59 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Von der Funktion und der beschriebenen Aufgabe geht es eigentlich nur so.

Fach- und Methodenwissen ist ein Begriff, den ich einmal geprägt habe, um auf Deutsch das bereits eingebürgerte 'Know How' mit einem deutschen Ausdruck zu ersetzen.

Der Mann (auch eine Frau denkbar) muss hochqualifiziert sein, über kommerzielle und technologische Disziplinen, er erfährt sehr viel, auch Geheimes oder Vertrauliches, er muss eine fachliche Autorität sein, er muss aber trotzdem als unparteiisch gelten. Er muss von der höchsten Führungsebene als Gesprächspartner akzeptiert werden.

Dafür reicht 'Wissensarbeiter' nicht aus.



Werner Walther
Local time: 16:44
Native speaker of: Native in GermanGerman
PRO pts in category: 132
Notes to answerer
Asker: Danke, Werner, aber ich bin nach dem Lesen und Prüfen aller Beiträge nun doch ziemlich überzeugt, dass 'Wissensarbeiter' als das verstanden wird, was hier gemeint ist, und den Begriff 'knowledge worker' am genauesten trifft.


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  British Diana: Gut, dass eine Frau auch "denkbar" ist ;-)
8 hrs
agree  Eckehard Plöger: Mir begegnet zwar laufend die Bezeichnung Wissensarbeiter, vor allem in Werbematerial für IT-Produkte, aber damit ist dann in der Regel einfach nur der Sachbearbeiter am PC gemeint. Im gegebenen Kontext stimme ich eher der Lösung von Werner zu.
9 hrs
disagree  Cetacea: Von "Koordinator" ist beim "knowledge worker" nicht die Rede, auch im vorliegenden Kontext nicht.
15 hrs
  -> Dies ist die Aufgabenstellung aus dem Kontext: .... internal "knowledge workers" must be located to obtain a fair and valid assessment of each firm's strengths and weaknesses. Der gesuchte Begriff steht auch im AT in Anführungszeichen.
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13 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +1
Insider


Explanation:
Im oben genannten Kontext...auch wenn die Entscheidung scheinbar schon gefallen zu sein scheint...


    Reference: http://www.harvardbusinessmanager.de/heft/artikel/a-623987.h...
Matthias Brombach
Germany
Local time: 16:44
Native speaker of: Native in GermanGerman
Notes to answerer
Asker: Die Idee finde ich eigentlich auch gut, aber 'Wissensarbeiter' sagt meiner Meinung nach noch mehr ueber die gewünschten Charakteristiken des Mitarbeiters aus.


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Werner Walther: Ja und Nein. Insider: 100% ja, aber er soll keine passiver Insider sein. Er soll (AT) die Evaluierung der Organisation, zu der der Außenstehende nicht in der Lage sein soll, durchführen. Also fehlt m.E. ein zweiter Begriff dazu.
16 hrs
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49 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +7
Wissenarbeiter


Explanation:
I've done some extensive research, as I'm curious now myself and also did ask a few colleagues in Germany. Apparently it is quite a common term, used for a certain type of worker. I also found the description in the link below, which confirmed the answers I got. I now am fairly certain about my answer.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 50 mins (2011-11-10 18:56:10 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

http://www.enzyklopaedie-der-wirtschaftsinformatik.de/wi-enz...

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 51 mins (2011-11-10 18:56:59 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Sorry... "Wissensarbeiter", not "Wissenarbeiter".

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 hr (2011-11-10 19:14:59 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

You're welcome. I also think, that it's a winner. ;)
(I hope so anyway)

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 day1 hr (2011-11-11 19:19:07 GMT) Post-grading
--------------------------------------------------

Gern geschehen. :)


    Reference: http://www.enzyklopaedie-der-wirtschaftsinformatik.de/wi-enz...
Oliver Hartmann (X)
United Kingdom
Local time: 15:44
Native speaker of: German
PRO pts in category: 7
Grading comment
Vielen Dank, Oliver, und Euch allen!!!
Notes to answerer
Asker: Thanks for the link; looks like 'Wissensarbeiter' really seems to be the right term.

Asker: Yeah, it's looking good for you!


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Andrea Flaßbeck (X)
30 mins
  -> Danke Andrea.
agree  Uta Kappler: Ja, richtig!
3 hrs
  -> Danke Uta.
agree  mrmp: vgl. auch http://www.onpulson.de/lexikon/5526/wissensarbeiter/ : Wissensarbeiter <---> knowledge worker
6 hrs
  -> Danke mrmp.
agree  Annett Hieber
13 hrs
  -> Danke Annett.
agree  Oliver_F: Wie kann man da nein sagen :-)
14 hrs
  -> Oder wie kann Frau da nein sagen! Danke. :)
agree  Eike Katharina Adari-von Kleist (X): So wie wir Übersetzer welche sind.
15 hrs
  -> Endlich mal jemand, der es ausspricht! Danke. ;)
agree  Cetacea
18 hrs
  -> Danke Cetacea.
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