软环境分析

02:45 May 29, 2012
This question was closed without grading. Reason: Other

Chinese to English translations [PRO]
Bus/Financial - Economics
Chinese term or phrase: 软环境分析
软环境分析/硬环境分析

I have seen 软环境translated as 'soft environment' but I have never heard of 'soft environment' being used in English. A google search on that term also suggests that it is only used on Chinese websites.

Does it refer to software environment/hardware environment?
SYTham
Singapore
Local time: 01:46


Summary of answers provided
3 +3intangible infrastructure analysis
Shirley Lao
4FYI
Ethan Tian
4exterior environment analysis
Jessie Doherty
4Soft Environment
Vladyslav Golovaty
3Analysis of intangible environment
Dariush Robertson


  

Answers


10 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
FYI


Explanation:
No, it is not about the software and hardware. See the below in Chinese:
软环境是相对硬环境而言的一个概念,它是指物质条件以外的诸如政策、文化、制度、法律、思想观念等外部因素和条件的总和。
So, probably, 软 means intangible, and 硬 means tangible

Ethan Tian
China
Local time: 01:46
Does not meet criteria
Native speaker of: Native in ChineseChinese
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2 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
exterior environment analysis


Explanation:
百度百科解释:软环境是相对硬环境而言的一个概念,它是指物质条件以外的诸如政策、文化、制度、法律、思想观念等外部因素和条件的总和。
因此这里我倾向于将软环境翻成外部环境(外部因素和条件),即exterior environment,相对的,硬环境也可以译成interior environment.
但如果你想紧贴原文,不妨用带引号的“Soft environment”, 由于这么多年来,software和hardware的含义早已得到引申,很多native speaker都是能够理解Soft/Hard environment的意思的。
以上意见,仅供参考!

Jessie Doherty
United States
Local time: 12:46
Meets criteria
Native speaker of: Native in ChineseChinese
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4 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +3
intangible infrastructure analysis


Explanation:
tangible infrastructure 硬环境
intangible infrastructure 软环境
http://bbs.wwenglish.org/dispbbs.asp?boardid=1&Id=87532&page...


See the definitions for "tangible infrastructure" and "intangible infrastructure" on Page 2 of http://www.cultureandcommunities.ca/downloads/WP3-Framing-In...


The intangible infrastructure is the region’s knowledge networks in all their social, economic, political and organizational dimensions. This kind of infrastructure is fundamental for raising a region’s innovative capacity. It is also very important to sustain the communities of creativity and talent that will generate new technologies and, ultimately, induce the creation of new economic, educational and social activities. The intangible infrastructure is closely connected to a region’s educational system and the kind of access it provides to learning and creativity.
http://www.regionalinversion.com/region/What_is_regional_inv...


Shirley Lao
Taiwan
Local time: 01:46
Meets criteria
Native speaker of: Native in ChineseChinese

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Bea Geenen: Or "soft infrastructure analysis" (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Infrastructure)
2 hrs
  -> Thanks for your suggestion

agree  Phil Hand: Both Shirley and Bea sound right to me
7 hrs

agree  Susanne DeVore
17 hrs
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7 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
Soft Environment


Explanation:
soft environment analysis
therefore it does refer to what Asker has suggested

Example sentence(s):
  • Software environment is the term commonly used to refer to support an application. A software environment for a particular application could include the operating system, the database system, specific development tools or compiler.

    Reference: http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/S/software_environment.html
Vladyslav Golovaty
Ukraine
Local time: 20:46
Meets criteria
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in RussianRussian

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  Dariush Robertson: You're very welcome, but it should be: with 'the' article, not 'with article'. Most 'non-native' speakers of English do tend to struggle with the article 'the'. I still don't see why you're capitalising 'asker'.
1 hr
  -> Thanks, still I'll never cease respecting the Asker, with article or without ;-)
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11 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
Analysis of intangible environment


Explanation:
软环境分析 - analysis of intangible environment:

http://www.livemint.com/2008/09/30212353/Evaluating-brand-va...

硬环境分析 - analysis of tangible environment:

http://www.lkl.ac.uk/research/tangibles/papers/ourpublicatio...


Dariush Robertson
United Kingdom
Local time: 18:46
Does not meet criteria
Native speaker of: English
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