Let us continue to learn more words and expressions connected with business and management.
Just as other branches of knowledge, management has also its JARGON. What is a jargon ? Words used in a particular branch of knowledge is called jargon. We have computer jargon and so on. Others not familiar with that subject may find it difficult to understand jargon. In normal conversations, if you use too much of jargon,it may irritate others.
In government, the managers are called, "ADMINISTRATORS". They administer. However the words, " to administer " and " manage " are synonyms. In India, we have the prestigious, " Indian Administrative Service ". They form the backbone of BUREACRACY. The officers manning the government are also called BUREAUCRATS. Rigid rules are characteristic of any bureacracy. Sometimes the word, " bureaucratic " takes a pejorative connotation. In other words, in a disapproving manner. Many of the governmental procedures appear to be unnecessary in the eyes of common man. It annoys him. Then he says, " What hassles in renewal of my passport. Now I lost my interest in going abroad."
Max Weber, the German thinker has said a lot about bureacracy. Selecting members of a bureacracy by a tough examination system is a Chinese innovation. Our bureacracy is also called CIVIL SERVICE.Every year,they conduct the civil service examination. Do you know that the Indian Civil Service was known as iron frame.
A powerful civil servant is called, " MANDARIN " . Don't use capital letters. To highlight new words, I use upper case letters.
" mandarins of the north block "
They are all Indian bureacrats sitting in a building called North Block in New Delhi.
" mandarin collar "is a collar that stands up and fits the neck. The word " mandarin " comes from Chinese.
BUREACRACY comes from the French word " bureau " which means office.
" APPARATCHIK" is a word assimilated into the English language from Russian. It means the official of a large political organization. Obviously, the Russian communist party. It is also used in a pejorative sense.
We will continue in the next note. It is already midnight here.
Sayee Jayaraman
26/02/2015
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