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sind einzelne Schritte auf dem Weg dorthin

English translation: See below

12:49 Dec 6, 2000
German to English translations [PRO]
German term or phrase: sind einzelne Schritte auf dem Weg dorthin
A company profile text ends as follows:
Nach dem Motto 'Zufriedene Kunden zahlen unser Gehalt' gehört eine starke Kundenorientierung zur Firmenphilosophie. Kleine eigenverantwortliche Teams, Leistungsprämien, Mitarbeiterbeteiligungen bei der Schaffung neuer Strukturen sowie Netzwerke innerhalb und mit externen Partner sind einzelne Schritte auf dem Weg dorthin.
I am confused because I don't really know where 'dorthin' is. There is no reference earlier in the text. Any ideas how to translate this last phrase?
Julie Neill, BA (Hons), MCIL, MITI
Spain
Local time: 23:11
English translation:See below
Explanation:
Why make it more complicated than it has to be?

Here is my suggestion:

Small independent teams ... external partners - each of these ["initiatives" or similar, if you feel you need a noun, but not strictly necessary]is a step towards that goal (i.e.: the goal stated in the preceding sentence: "Nach dem Motto .... ")

HTH
Selected response from:

Randi Stenstrop
Local time: 23:11
Grading comment
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
natoo much forest for the trees
Beth Kantus
na...steps [on the way] towards achieving our objective
Ulrike Lieder (X)
na... add up to putting the customer first.
Matthew Harris
naCustomer orientation
Harry Decker
naSee below
Randi Stenstrop
na(A, B, C... All the foregoing things) are individual stepping-
Parrot


  

Answers


25 mins
too much forest for the trees


Explanation:
Don't you just hate sentences like that?
I think what the message they're trying to impart here is that all of the stated measures (small autonomous teams,
performance incentives, employee participation in the creation of new structures, as well as internal and external networking systems) take them closer to their goal/corporate philosophy of total customer focus or orientation. I'm sure you can find a more elegant way of formulating it, but that's what I get out of the passage.
Hope it helps!
Beth

Beth Kantus
United States
Local time: 17:11
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in pair: 924

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
Lisanne
Uschi (Ursula) Walke
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26 mins
...steps [on the way] towards achieving our objective


Explanation:
"Dorthin" refers to the company objective (as expressed in its corporate philosophy) of responding to customer needs and making sure that customer satisfaction is high.

HTH

Ulrike Lieder (X)
Local time: 14:11
Native speaker of: German
PRO pts in pair: 3525

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
Mats Wiman
Tim Drayton
StefB
Lisanne
Uschi (Ursula) Walke
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1 hr
... add up to putting the customer first.


Explanation:
"Dorthin" refers to the strong emphasis placed on customer satisfaction [eine starke Kundenorientierung] mentioned at the very start of the passage. It's rather elliptical to say dorthin, but must have seemed like just the right turn of phrase for the German author to "land" on a strong ending word; ergo my choice to close on an emphatic "first" as well. All a question of judgment.

This is the type of work marketing agencies get paid a lot for and we translators end up excrutiating over. Hope you can recast it so that the lengthy German sentence is somehow made more manageable in length in English. Just my intuition talking now.


Matthew Harris
Germany
Local time: 23:11
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in pair: 88

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
Uschi (Ursula) Walke
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1 hr
Customer orientation


Explanation:
While uel and beth's suggestions are both correct, a case could be made that the root focus which "dorthin" refers to is "customer orientation". The word "dorthin" definitely refers back to the first sentence.
The focus of the first sentence is on "A strong customer orientation is a part of our company philosophy in accordance with the motto "satisfied customers pay our wages"
All the other factors contribute toward customer orientation.


    tech writing background
Harry Decker
Local time: 17:11
Native speaker of: Native in GermanGerman, Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in pair: 51

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
Uschi (Ursula) Walke
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1 hr
See below


Explanation:
Why make it more complicated than it has to be?

Here is my suggestion:

Small independent teams ... external partners - each of these ["initiatives" or similar, if you feel you need a noun, but not strictly necessary]is a step towards that goal (i.e.: the goal stated in the preceding sentence: "Nach dem Motto .... ")

HTH


Randi Stenstrop
Local time: 23:11
Native speaker of: Danish
PRO pts in pair: 265

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
Uschi (Ursula) Walke
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

2 hrs
(A, B, C... All the foregoing things) are individual stepping-


Explanation:
stones towards customer satisfaction.
I take this from the motto "Zufriedene Kunden zahlen unser Gehalt".


    Matter of reading.
Parrot
Spain
Local time: 23:11
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in pair: 315

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
Uschi (Ursula) Walke
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