CULTURE

The American actor Bruce Lee (real name: Lee Siu-Lung) is regarded as a martial arts icon. Many of the impressive fighting techniques that Lee displays in over 30 films originate in Japan, including Karate-do (空手道), Judo (柔道), Aikido (合気道), Kendo (剣道), Kyudo (弓道), and Sumo (相撲). In Japan, these forms of martial arts have a tradition that is by no means associated with “art” or cinematic representation. The general term for martial arts in Japanese is budo, meaning “the way of the warrior”. The word budo is derived from bushido (武士道), or “the way of the samurai”. Bushido was a code of conduct for the Japanese samurai which can be compared to the knight’s code in medieval Europe. In essence, budo is nothing more than a modern continuation of this code of honor. The syllable “do” (道), found in both budo and bushido, as well as in many of the martial art names, represents a specific path to follow or a special way to live.

The philosophy of budo is not easy to understand for those from western cultures. Many people believe that these fighting techniques are brutal and serve only to inflict the maximum amount of pain possible. It is also a widespread view that martial arts are literally a type of “art,” which could be compared to painting or dancing. However, an actual budo-ka (武道家- a student or master of budo) lives the tradition and philosophy of his martial art so that he is worthy to hold its title. Budo is thus an integral part of the Japanese culture and identity and embodies in some way a special lifestyle that is best described by self-recognition and self-control.

NEW CLIENT RELATIONS

PPC Worldwide provides service in the area of external employee assistance. In the USA, they provide programs for many companies in which employees receive services such as counseling for psychological stress at the work place, addictions, organizational questions (child care, caring for a family member), conflicts at work, or work-life balance questions. The clients of PPC Worldwide, comprising over 3,000 companies and organizations with over 3 million employees in more than 130 countries throughout the world, include companies such as Coca-Cola, Apple, and Caterpillar. MultiLing has translated the Start-Up Kit for employees in 17 languages, and has provided brochures, fliers, posters, and presentations for different regions in various countries. The translation of the company’s website (www.ppcworldwide.com) in four languages is already underway.

MultiLing welcomes Mueller Water, a leading producer of gas and water distribution products in the USA, as a new client. This long-established company has a history of more than 150 years in producing components for the provision of water, such as hydrants, valves, and connection mountings. In the USA, Mueller Water is the largest supplier in the area of public infrastructure for gas and drinking water. With sales offices in more than 28 countries, Mueller Water is also a global player and has a great need for translation services. MultiLing has already translated their complete system catalog, a case study, and an advertisement into Russian and Spanish. (www.muellercompany.com)

INTERVIEW

“Number one in ten years”

An interview with Michael Sneddon, CEO of MultiLing Corporation and managing director of MultiLing GmbH in Starnberg, Germany, located near Munich, about his impressions on his trip to China

What prompted you to take this delegation trip to China?

MultiLing Germany was invited on this delegation trip by the Bavarian state government. Katja Hessel (FDP), Bavarian Minister of Economic Affairs, Infrastructure, Transport, and Technology, was accompanied on this trip by 26 people, among which were two executives from Siemens. Many of the participants either already have business relations with China or they plan to do so in the near future. The offer was of immeasurable worth in order to collect various on-site impressions.

How do you perceive China’s national economy?

For some time now, we have tracked the rapid development of this emerging economy. China was the most important export market for the USA last year. Conversely, China has overtaken Germany for the title of “Export World Champion” and has become the number one export nation in the world. On the other hand, Germany is China’s most important trade partner within the European Union. This enormous energy can be felt, of course, when you are in the country. Most notably, the eastern region is booming in an unbelievable way and much of the unbridled enthusiasm that can be seen in the Chinese companies remind me of the descriptions of the founding of the United States. The high number of qualified university graduates is striking. Many of them have studied abroad and return to their country primarily with engineering degrees and contribute in building the economy. It is difficult for Europeans and North Americans to understand how quickly the technology gap in China is closing. Their self-imposed goals are not out of reach: in 10 years, China will overtake the USA as the leading economic power.

Can the social change be felt by outsiders?

China is developing its own unique form of capitalism. Naturally, the opportunity to invest and risk money as well as the ability to reap the fruits of their work is new for many people. In a political view, it is also clear that the transition from communism to a democracy with a multiple-party system is a very long and slow process. China is only gradually opening itself up. The citizens perceive this changing process as positive; as a result, more Chinese students return home to China after their studies than compared to a few years ago.

What are MultiLing’s goals in China?

The Chinese market is one of our biggest revenue drivers. We employ over 100 Chinese native speakers in our network of translators. Of course, China is also an excellent market for our software technology FORTIS REVOLUTION.

BEST PRACTICE

Consequences of the Recession: Translation and Localization in Times of Tighter Budgets

All economic indicators suggest that the worst economic crisis since World War II has been overcome and the markets will increasingly recover. However, companies are responding in many ways due to the changing circumstances: budgets, which are maximally reduced in times of leaner liquidity, can only be increased bit by bit in order to meet growing needs. The confidence in the continuation of the positive economic data is still limited in many companies resulting in conservative strategies that will certainly continue to shape the investing climate. Considering this setting, Emmanuel Margetic, Director of Sales at MultiLing’s headquarters in the USA, described in a journal article different future localization scenarios for companies. The basis of his thoughts revolves around the clearly changed needs in Web 2.0: today, Internet users expect highly personalized information that is specific to their cultural background, even taking into consideration the nuances of the language in their region. His core statement is that those who save at the expense of localization, in spite of having lower costs short-term, won’t recover from the recession as quickly. When consumers begin to buy again and the company isn’t well represented in the international market, these companies may face the possibility that they are unable to sufficiently increase their market share.

What are the right budget strategies regarding localization in leaner times? Is a professional service provider necessary in every situation? Or does the so-called “crowdsourcing” represent a cost-efficient and yet acceptable alternative in terms of quality in which a group of low paid amateurs work with each other in order to realize a profit?

Read the full article from Emmanuel Margetic:

German: http://www.tekom.de/index_neu.jsp?url=/servlet/ControllerGUI?action=voll&id=3081

English: http://www.multiling.com/in_news/tcworld/news.html