Glossary entry (derived from question below)
English term or phrase:
consensus
English answer:
a meeting of the minds before making decisions
Added to glossary by
Martina Pokupec (X)
Mar 22, 2012 09:10
12 yrs ago
7 viewers *
English term
consensus
English
Bus/Financial
Business/Commerce (general)
This is taken from a text on the importance of culture when doing business internationally. I would need an explanation of what exactly it means: people more comfortable with consensus.
"In Anglo-American culture, they emphasise action, doing things and achieving things. But when you're dealing with people who are much more comfortable with consensus, in discussion, then you shouldn't dismiss that as time-wasting."
Thank you!
"In Anglo-American culture, they emphasise action, doing things and achieving things. But when you're dealing with people who are much more comfortable with consensus, in discussion, then you shouldn't dismiss that as time-wasting."
Thank you!
Responses
+4
5 mins
Paul Lambert
Sweden
Sweden
Native in English
&
English
Works in field
Sweden
Always on time
Native in: English 
Works in: Swedish to English, Norwegian to English, Danish to English
Related KudoZ points
:
8
Selected
a meeting of the minds before making decisions
Instead of any one person taking charge to make a decision, in some cultures people are so unsure of themselves that they dare not take responsibility for making a decision and being responsible for the consequences. Instead, they meet with other people, form committees etc so everyone can voice his own small opinion. A kind of informal poll is taken of all the opinions and those elements that are common to all the opinions is the consensus. Simply, that which all those involved can agree on.
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Note added at 8 mins (2012-03-22 09:19:32 GMT)
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By the way, if you are familiar with rhetoric: argumentum ad populum is an appeal to a consenus.
In fact, this very forum with the agree/disagree feature can be seen as a way of coming to a consensus.
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Note added at 8 mins (2012-03-22 09:19:32 GMT)
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By the way, if you are familiar with rhetoric: argumentum ad populum is an appeal to a consenus.
In fact, this very forum with the agree/disagree feature can be seen as a way of coming to a consensus.
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "Thank you"
+7
10 mins
reaching agreement through discussion
I think they are trying to contrast cultures in which people just want to get down to action and get things done with cultures in which people want to sit around discussing things for a long time until consensus (agreement) is reached on what action should be taken. So the people who are "much more comfortable with consensus" are being contrasted with the Anglo-Americans.
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Jenni Lukac (X)
3 mins
|
| agree |
Bashiqa
5 mins
|
| agree |
Paul Lambert
: Yes, I agree. I just don't see how that is essentially different from my own answer....
I see. No worries.
14 mins
|
|
You're right, Paul - your answer wasn't visible when I started writing mine.
|
|
| agree |
Colin Rowe
: To a non-native speaker, this is certainly a clearer answer
1 hr
|
| agree |
Lara Barnett
1 hr
|
| agree |
Elise Le Mer
2 hrs
|
| agree |
Tina Vonhof (X)
8 hrs
|
8 hrs
Hassan Lotfy
Egypt
Egypt
Native in English
&
English
Egypt
Excellent Quality
Native in: Arabic 
, English
Works in: English to Arabic, Arabic to English, Arabic, and 1 more.
Related KudoZ points
:
4
a group reaching a decision that not every member of the group is fully supporting
a group reaching a decision that not every member of the group is fully supporting, but everyone can live with it.
I disagree about my colleagues input, I do not believe that the author meant that the consensus way is inferior to the Anglo-Saxon way.
I disagree about my colleagues input, I do not believe that the author meant that the consensus way is inferior to the Anglo-Saxon way.
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