affärsmässig samhällsnytta

English translation: public services on a commercial basis

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
Swedish term or phrase:affärsmässig samhällsnytta
English translation:public services on a commercial basis
Entered by: Charlesp

13:00 Apr 11, 2013
Swedish to English translations [PRO]
Bus/Financial - Government / Politics
Swedish term or phrase: affärsmässig samhällsnytta
Here is the heading:

"Affärsmässig samhällsnytta – i samhällets tjänst, för det allmänna bästa."

I think that gives the context for affärsmässig samhällsnytta.

And here is the general definition:

"Alla verksamheter som tillhandahåller samhällsnyttiga tjänster drivs så att långsiktig ekonomisk stabilitet säkras."
Charlesp
Sweden
Local time: 10:36
public services on a commercial basis
Explanation:
I see this as referring to the 'New Swedish Model' (referenced in the Economist, and others) where publically financed welfare services are provided through public procurement in open competition between private companies and publically owned operations. The public services are put up for tender, but publically owned operations compete for these contracts with private companies. I have done a few articles on this recently, though have not come across your term exactly. Is this your context?

I'd therefore not really agree with the two answers here, though they might fit other contexts ... see my example sentence below. This sounds like municipal propaganda highlighting their publically owned operations competing with private wannabes, er, companies. Can send you an article I did recently if you like.

Provision of public services in open competition (LOV).

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Note added at 1 hr (2013-04-11 14:09:26 GMT)
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But, as always, context ...
Selected response from:

Deane Goltermann
Sweden
Local time: 10:36
Grading comment
I suppose there are a number of reasonable alternatives, depending upon context.
Sven makes a good point (and good contribution) with the suggestion "profit-driven social services" -- however I don't think the municipal authorities would want to refer to it that way.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
5 +1businesslike public benefit
George Hopkins
4 +1A socially-beneficial business
Richard Green
4business-driven public good
Cynthia Coan
4commercial public services
Kristian Andersson
4 -1profit-driven social services
Sven Petersson
3 -1public services on a commercial basis
Deane Goltermann


Discussion entries: 5





  

Answers


9 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +1
A socially-beneficial business


Explanation:
I would probably reverse it and have something along these lines:

"A socially-beneficial business - serving society for the benefit of everyone" ...

... or a derivative thereof.

Richard Green
United Kingdom
Local time: 09:36
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 4

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Helen Johnson
3 days 17 hrs
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1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): -1
public services on a commercial basis


Explanation:
I see this as referring to the 'New Swedish Model' (referenced in the Economist, and others) where publically financed welfare services are provided through public procurement in open competition between private companies and publically owned operations. The public services are put up for tender, but publically owned operations compete for these contracts with private companies. I have done a few articles on this recently, though have not come across your term exactly. Is this your context?

I'd therefore not really agree with the two answers here, though they might fit other contexts ... see my example sentence below. This sounds like municipal propaganda highlighting their publically owned operations competing with private wannabes, er, companies. Can send you an article I did recently if you like.

Provision of public services in open competition (LOV).

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 hr (2013-04-11 14:09:26 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

But, as always, context ...

Example sentence(s):
  • "All operations providing public (welfare) services are run to ensure long-term financial stability."
Deane Goltermann
Sweden
Local time: 10:36
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in SwedishSwedish
PRO pts in category: 66
Grading comment
I suppose there are a number of reasonable alternatives, depending upon context.
Sven makes a good point (and good contribution) with the suggestion "profit-driven social services" -- however I don't think the municipal authorities would want to refer to it that way.
Notes to answerer
Asker: Thanks Deane. That is pretty much what I came up with. (But thanks for the reference material and background). And yea, I think you hit it exactly with your comment (about municipal propaganda).


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
disagree  George Hopkins: Your comments and thoughts may be interesting but the question does not refer to commercial activity.
1 hr
  -> I did read alot into the ques. -- guessing at the context. But, see my comment! ;-)
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7 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): -1
profit-driven social services


Explanation:
Calling a spade a spade.

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Note added at 23 hrs (2013-04-12 12:22:22 GMT)
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Comment to "Nice call Mr. Petersson. But I am not so sure the municipal authorities would like to have it referred to in that manner.":

Politicians with their snout in the trough would definitively not like it. They would much prefer spin doctor terms, as proffered by my esteemed colleagues.



Sven Petersson
Sweden
Local time: 10:36
Native speaker of: Native in SwedishSwedish, Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 93
Notes to answerer
Asker: Nice call Mr. Petersson. But I am not so sure the municipal authorities would like to have it referred to in that manner.


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
disagree  Mats Wiman: samhällsnytta is much broader than social services
17 hrs
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1 day 1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
business-driven public good


Explanation:
Or alternatively "business-driven public welfare."

Cynthia Coan
United States
Local time: 02:36
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 15
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25 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): +1
businesslike public benefit


Explanation:
:-

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Note added at 1 day1 hr (2013-04-12 14:42:07 GMT)
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The true meaning of "businesslike" is clearly stated in En-Sv Affärsekonomiskt lexicon, Prismas stora ordbok, Fackordbok Gullberg.
Note that they do not refer to such things as profit or any political leaning. I cannot read the Asker's mind and therefore refer to standard dictionaries where possible.

George Hopkins
Local time: 10:36
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 12

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Thomas Johansson: "public benefit on a businesslike basis" - would seem to fit with the content at http://www.kfs.net/Om-KFS/Samhallsnara-foretag1/KFS-definiti... (which is not about commercial activities specifically)
4 hrs
  -> Thanks Thomas.

disagree  Sven Petersson: Far too much right spin.
22 hrs
  -> No spin at all; right, left or centre. Synonyms for businesslike acc. to Collins are correct, efficient, matter-of-fact, methodical, orderly, organized, practical, proffessional, regular, routine, systematic, thorough, well-ordered, workaday.

agree  Mats Wiman: Public good/benefit with businesslike methods is what is meant IMHO
1 day 1 hr
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1 day 2 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
commercial public services


Explanation:
As if there weren't enough suggestions already!

"Public services should not be mixed up with public sectors. If they are indeed also activities which are supervised by public authorities because of their specificities, they can be managed by private companies. In other words, the management can be public or private. When the activity is managed by a private company, it is often called “delegation of public services”. It can take various contractual forms linking private companies with public authorities: dealership, leasing, public-private partnership (PPP). American public utilities are a standard model of a regulated private management, long remained in monopoly, of ***commercial public services***. The notion of universal service has emerged from this model. This notion is nowadays used in Europe, which imposes formalised public missions to private companies (to guarantee universal access to services considered as essential for individuals and the collectivity). This model is different from the public monopoly which characterised the heart of the so-called “French model” of public services after WWII."


    Reference: http://www.augurproject.eu/IMG/pdf/Public_Ownership_and_Publ...
Kristian Andersson
Local time: 10:36
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in SwedishSwedish
PRO pts in category: 3

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  George Hopkins: Commercial smacks of profit making, not always appreciated in connection with public services. Common sense tells us that an enterprise either makes or looses money (and becomes bankrupt) but for some loony reason profit is a no-go word for some people.
57 mins
  -> I would rather call it securing long-term financial security. These companies (public or private) operate under the Swedish Companies Act and are more or less obliged to act commercially.
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