‘Portfolio Workers’: Autonomy and Control amongst Freelance Translators

Fraser, Janet; Gold, Michael

doi:10.1017/s0950017001006791

Cited by 66 publications

(58 citation statements)

References 12 publications

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“…In summary, one of the most important findings is that freelance translators are less happy than other current translators. Although some people say that there are many advantages to working freelance (for a detailed discussion see Fraser and Gold, 2001;Gouadec, 2007), the present study has discovered a different story. In addition, some social variables including age, level of education, region in which the translator lives, the translator's major field of study and the appearance of the translator's name on translations are not related to decisions to leave the field.…”

Section: Limitations and Conclusioncontrasting

confidence: 51%

Longitudinal Study of Translators in Greater China

Liu¹

2017

HER

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Abstract:In Translation Studies, most of the empirical studies on translators in society rely on a cross-sectional methodology, which takes a snapshot of a population at one specific time. However, giving the evolving nature of translation work, translators would experience changes from time to time. Therefore, follow-up studies of translators are paramount because this approach allows Translation Studies researchers to explain the changes that translators may experience over time. This article presents findings from a longitudinal study which examines translators' possible changes in their occupation, visibility between clients and end-users, capital received and job-related happiness over a three-year period. The analysis is based on 92 Chinese translators in China, Hong Kong and Taiwan between 2009-2010 survey data (Wave 1) and 2012-14 survey data (Wave 2). It is found that freelance translators are less happy than other current translators. Some social variables such as age, level of education, region in which the translator lives, the translator's major field of study and the appearance of the translator's name on translations are found not related to their decision to leave the field. What are found to be significantly related include sex, years of translation experience, and time spent working on translation assignments. It is also found that the turnover rate for female translators is higher than that for male translators. In addition, those who abandon the work of translation are mostly inexperienced translators. Keywords: Longitudinal method; translators' visibility; translators' job-related happiness; translators in Greater China. Resumen: En Estudios de Traducción, la mayoría de los estudios empíricos sobre los traductores en la sociedad, se basan en una metodología transversal, la cual recoge una muestra de una población en un momento dado. Sin embargo, debido a la naturaleza evolutiva del trabajo de traducción, los traductores experimentan cambios temporales. En consecuencia, estudios que se planteen hacer un seguimiento de la trayectoria de los traductores son fundamentales, ya que este enfoque permite a los investigadores de Estudios de Traducción explicar los cambios que se producen en los traductores con el paso del tiempo. Es presente artículo recoge los resultados de un estudio longitudinal que examina los posibles cambios en los traductores debidos a su tipo de ocupación, visibilidad entre los clientes y usuarios finales, el capital obtenido y la satisfacción derivada de su trabajo, durante un periodo de tres años. El análisis se basa en los datos . Se ha descubierto que los traductores independientes están menos satisfechos que otros traductores en activo. Algunas variables sociológicas como la edad, el nivel de educación, la región en la que el traductor vive, el campo principal de especialización y el hecho de que aparezca el nombre del traductor en las traducciones no están relacionados con su decisión de abandonar esta profesión. Lo que sí resulta decisivo es el sexo, los años de experi...

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Section: Limitations and Conclusioncontrasting

confidence: 51%

Longitudinal Study of Translators in Greater China

Liu¹

2017

HER

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“…This confirms Wheatley's slightly earlier (2003) study of professional translators in the UK and Germany, which found that 34% were using TM. This apparent lack of enthusiasm as demonstrated by relatively static adoption rates is even more puzzling given the sharp increase in recent years in the number of translators working freelance (Fraser and Gold 2001), which arguably affords translators more freedom of choice in the software they adopt. Moreover, translators are coming under increasing pressure from work providers to adopt TM with a view to driving down costs as well as enhancing quality (Lebtahi and Ibert 2004).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Translators and TM: An investigation of translators’ perceptions of translation memory adoption

Dillon

Fraser

2007

Machine Translation

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There has been little research on the role of translation memory (TM) in practitioners' working practices, apart from reviews and a survey into ownership and rates issues. The present study provides a comprehensive snapshot of the perceptions of UK-based professional translators with regard to TM as a tool in their working environment. Moore and Benbasat's instrument for measuring perceptions with regard to the adoption of an information technology innovation was adapted and used to investigate three hypotheses: that translators who are relatively new to the translation industry have a more positive general perception of TM than experienced translators; that translators who use TM have a more positive general perception of it than translators who do not; and, finally, that translators' perception of the value of TM is not linked with their perceived IT proficiency. The study found that younger translators took a positive general view of TM irrespective of actual use, in particular attributing esteem to more experienced translators using (or perceived to be using) TM. Non-users at all experience levels, however, had a negative general view of TM irrespective of actual use. Both findings point to the significance of adequate knowledge in adoption decisions. Perceived IT proficiency, finally, was found to play a key role in translators' perceptions of the benefits of TM. These findings are discussed in the light of recent trends in the translation industry, including Continuing Professional Development, quality assurance and regulation.

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“…Clinton et al (2006) wrote about dispositional optimism, while Wooten, Timmerman and Folger (1999) wrote about emotional stability, tough-mindedness and expedience. In turn, Fraser and Gold (2001) found that autonomy and control were higher among portfolio workers than other employees. Due to all these outcomes it was argued that this research should investigate the characteristics of the temperament of portfolio workers because of the function of effective stimulation regulation, the terminal and instrumental values because of their meaning for the motivation of this group, and the intensity of masculinity and femininity connected with these variables.…”

Section: Objectivesmentioning

confidence: 93%

Portfolio working – a psychological analysis of the phenomenon

Lipińska-Grobelny¹

2014

Current Issues in Personality Psychology

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Background It turns out from the latest Eurostat data that Poland holds the second place in Europe in terms of the number of so-called portfolio workers, i.e. persons who work for more than one employer. From the psychological point of view, there arises the question regarding the possible determinants of the mentioned phenomenon. Therefore the general purpose of this study is to present the personal and situational indicators of portfolio working. Participants and procedure Two hundred and eighteen portfolio workers and 218 workers employed in one workplace (i.e. monoworkers) participated in research using the following set of ‘paper-pencil’ techniques: a self-made survey, the Value Scale by Rokeach, the Formal Characteristics of Behaviour – Temperament Questionnaire by Zawadzki and Strelau, the Masculinity and Femininity Scale by Lipińska-Grobelny and Gorczycka, and the Organizational Climate Questionnaire by Kolb. Results Portfolio working is mainly determined by a number of personal variables (temperamental characteristics, values and spheres of motivation, intensity of masculinity and femininity). A specific role is played by values represented by portfolio workers. The discriminant analysis conducted in groups selected on the basis of working hours indicates that the prediction of participation of the examined persons in the group of portfolio workers with the greatest accuracy appeared in the case of a workload of 48 or more hours, next in the case of a smaller workload up to 47 hours, and finally for the whole group. Conclusions The examination of the phenomenon of portfolio working from the psychological perspective presents an important contribution to the discussion on work and directions of its transformations.

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‘Portfolio Workers’: Autonomy and Control amongst Freelance Translators

Cited by 66 publications

References 12 publications

Longitudinal Study of Translators in Greater China

Longitudinal Study of Translators in Greater China

Translators and TM: An investigation of translators’ perceptions of translation memory adoption

Portfolio working – a psychological analysis of the phenomenon

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