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mode pompier

English translation: firefighting mode


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GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
French term or phrase:mode pompier
English translation:firefighting mode
Entered by: Bianca AH
Options:
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11:48 Sep 15, 2009
French to English translations [PRO]
Bus/Financial - Management
French term or phrase: mode pompier
Cette méthode favorise le pilotage par les objectifs. Il permet de ne plus raisonner sur un mode pompier mais d’être davantage sur les anticipations.

"Putting out fires" come to (my tired and fried) mind. I'm trying to keep an clin d'oeil re. "pompier" but haven't quite achieved that in what I've got so far:

This method encourages target-steered management and moves away from a "response mode" towards a more anticipatory approach.

I'd be interested in your comments and suggestions.

Many thanks in advance.
Bianca AH
France
Local time: 21:18
firefighting mode
Explanation:
I think this must be a quasi literal translation of this expression, which has become quite common in certain corporate circles in the UK.

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Note added at 4 mins (2009-09-15 11:52:58 GMT)
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Found this quote: "Centralized monitoring shifts focus from fire-fighting to forward planning" at http://www.symmetrixtech.com/monitoring/
Selected response from:

Rob Grayson
United Kingdom
Local time: 20:18
Grading comment
Wonderful - thank you for your help.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +12firefighting mode
Rob Grayson
Summary of reference entries provided
sightings
Martin Cassell

Discussion entries: 1





  

Answers


2 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +12
firefighting mode


Explanation:
I think this must be a quasi literal translation of this expression, which has become quite common in certain corporate circles in the UK.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 4 mins (2009-09-15 11:52:58 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Found this quote: "Centralized monitoring shifts focus from fire-fighting to forward planning" at http://www.symmetrixtech.com/monitoring/

Rob Grayson
United Kingdom
Local time: 20:18
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 32
Grading comment
Wonderful - thank you for your help.

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  polyglot45: and I think they are talking about MBO Management by Objectives
1 min
  -> Thanks – and yes, sounds like MBO to me too
agree  jaynedmoore
2 mins
  -> Thanks, Jayne
agree  savtrad: Just one example from many online, see http://www.chacocanyon.com/essays/firefighting.shtml
6 mins
  -> Thanks
agree  Helen Shiner
7 mins
  -> Thanks, Helen
agree  · george ·
8 mins
  -> Thanks
agree  Philippa
10 mins
  -> Thanks, Philippa
agree  Laurel Clausen
16 mins
  -> Thanks, Laurel
agree  Martin Cassell: my first thought, too
25 mins
  -> Thanks, Martin
agree  Françoise Vogel: Cet étrange français semble effectivement calé sur de l'anglais.
51 mins
  -> Merci – effectivement, c'est la première fois que j'ai vu cette transmutation-là
agree  Clair@Lexeme
55 mins
  -> Thanks, Clair
agree  rkillings
15 hrs
  -> Thanks, Bob
agree  Michael J.H. Davies: Yes, definitely!
19 hrs
  -> Thanks, Michael
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Reference comments


37 mins
Reference: sightings

Reference information:
Used clearly in exactly the sense of "fire-fighting":

« Les critiques lues dans la presse: [...] Fonctionnement en mode "pompier" – Protection contre les failles exploitées, pas contre les failles exploitables »
[http://is.gd/3iw3B]

« 2ème étape - Refuser le mode "pompier"
L’expérience acquise par le CITIC 74 depuis de plus de 12 ans dans le domaine prouve qu’il est coûteux et inutile de se contenter d’intervenir pour réparer. »
[http://is.gd/3iwlN]


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Note added at 20 hrs (2009-09-16 08:23:12 GMT)
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As Françoise observes above, this is not a mainstream usage. I think the fact that these examples use double quotes is a hint that the writers feel the term is not naturalised in French; but clearly it exists and its imagery is found useful in some circumstances.

Martin Cassell
United Kingdom
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
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