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Lost in translation?
If I argued that my total inability to speak, understand, or read Mandarin qualifies me as an intermediary on business dealings between Western and Chinese companies you'd think me nuts, right?

Right.


Now think about companies hiring non IT people to interface their business and IT groups and tell me how that differs?

Well, given that companies keep making the mistake in IT you cite, maybe there is a difference.

Maybe a better comparison would be: As a Westerner, do you need to understand Mandarin in order to run a business subsidary well in China? I'd say no, but if you don't understand Chinese business and political practicess either then you're almost certainly doomed.

And being fluent in Mandarin doesn't mean you understand Chinese business and political practicess - in the same way that a CIO who understands IT well from university courses but doesn't understand their own IT experts or vendor sales reps is going to have trouble.


PS My Japanese is good enough that I could understand nearly all the Japanese spoken in the "Lost in Translation" film. So I could literally tell what the translator was missing out. Had I been in Bill Murray's position though, I'm sure I'd still have made some mistakes.
Posted by: Chris Rijk   Posted on: 03/29/06 You are currently: a Guest | Members login | Terms of Use
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Lost in translation?  Chris Rijk | 03/29/06
Oops. Let's try that again.  Chris Rijk | 03/29/06
Here's your post through a Translator  Nigel Johnstone | 03/29/06
Now that's cool!  murph_z ZDNet Moderator | 03/29/06
What does IT person mean?  jorwell | 03/29/06
Good question  Roger Ramjet | 03/29/06
Don't agree  jorwell | 03/29/06
It's better to be lucky than good...  palmwarrior | 03/29/06
Not quite what I mean  jorwell | 03/29/06
You're being biased  Roger Ramjet | 03/29/06
I don't think so  jorwell | 03/29/06
You're thinking like an engineer  wolf_z | 03/30/06
I hope not  jorwell | 03/30/06
Still thinking like an engineer. happy  wolf_z | 03/30/06
I don't think so  jorwell | 03/30/06
Future of Computing  Erik1234 | 04/03/06
All the more reason to think logically  jorwell | 04/03/06
I think I agree, somewhat. happy  wolf_z | 03/30/06
Sell outs and Peter-principled  Roger Ramjet | 03/29/06
The CIO doesn't need to speak UNIX  Real World | 03/29/06
IT and Academic Tenure  D. T. Schmitz | 03/29/06
Or  Cardinal_Bill | 03/29/06
And a couple years down the road...  techboy_z | 03/29/06
The specifics of the hypothetical  Real World | 03/29/06
Talk about short sighted...  Mixotic | 03/30/06
This is all SILLY  j.m.galvin | 03/29/06
I can see it now...  murph_z ZDNet Moderator | 03/29/06
An industry full of self-styled experts  Chad_z | 03/29/06
Being as approachable as you've shown yourself to be...  Anton Philidor | 03/29/06
Agreed  murph_z ZDNet Moderator | 03/29/06
But why do people turn to these guys.  enduser_z | 03/29/06
You're both right  murph_z ZDNet Moderator | 03/29/06
IT decision making by users.  slopoke | 03/29/06
You make a good point  Chad_z | 03/29/06
Chad I am curious about your solution...  No_Ax_to_Grind | 03/29/06
minor correction  secure_lockdown@... | 03/29/06
Reminds me of Scotty  Mark Miller | 03/30/06
Moving target...  palmwarrior | 03/29/06
Because management is a higher level skill...  Anton Philidor | 03/29/06
I slightly disagree...  Cardinal_Bill | 03/29/06
Good managment skills are more rare than good IT skills....  palmwarrior | 03/29/06
Lou  Roger Ramjet | 03/29/06
View from the bridge; the purpose of IT  Anton Philidor | 03/29/06
Wouldn't ya know it  Roger Ramjet | 03/29/06
Quick - hire a former Sun exec..  murph_z ZDNet Moderator | 03/29/06
Sorry, too late  Roger Ramjet | 03/30/06
CIO Upper Management  rtb | 03/29/06
I think I've seen this in action  Mark Miller | 03/29/06
Completely Agree  mockylock | 03/29/06
The rest of the story  Mark Miller | 03/30/06
It depends on what you call skills.  No_Ax_to_Grind | 03/29/06
I agree  jorwell | 03/30/06
Tend to agree  Roger Ramjet | 03/30/06
There has to be some balance...  Mixotic | 03/30/06
Been there several times and had no problem.  No_Ax_to_Grind | 03/30/06
Are you guys on drugs?  nickc@... | 03/30/06
There has to be a balance...  Mixotic | 03/30/06
Thank you - absolutely right  murph_z ZDNet Moderator | 03/30/06
Hear, hear!  Mark Miller | 03/30/06
New tools?  jorwell | 03/30/06
Sucessful CIO's - many flavors.  manning | 03/30/06
Article Is Right On The Money  wildranger | 03/30/06
This is a BIG problem  Mach-One | 04/02/06

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