Hard times, lean firms

　　艱難時局磨練高效能企業

　　How much longer can America keep increasingproductivity?

　　美國的生產率增長還能持續多久?

　　EVERYONE complains that corporate America is reluctant to hire additional workers.

　　企業不愿再增加雇傭量在美國引起民怨沸騰。

　　Far less attention has been paid to the flip side of the jobless recovery:

　　但很少有人關注減少失業率的有效途徑：

　　the remarkable improvement in American productivity.

　　顯著提升美國的勞動生產率水平。

　　How long can this continue? I see no limit, says William Hickey, the boss of Sealed Air, apackaging-maker.

　　這種提升能持續多久?包裝材料制造商寶廷的老總William Hickey 說：依我看來可無限期提升。

　　Is he right to be so optimistic?

　　他的這種樂觀估計是對還是錯?

　　American firms were slow to react to the downturn at the beginning of the century, and paidthe price.

　　新世紀之初，美國企業在應對經濟衰退時反應遲鈍，并為此付出了代價。

　　They learned their lesson.

　　它們吸取了教訓，

　　When the economy slumped in 2008, they weremuch quicker to adjust.

　　更快地適應了2008年的經濟大蕭條，

　　There was little of the fall in labour productivity that normally accompanies a recession, andthis was not just a one-off batting average effect.

　　且勞動生產率也沒有如往常隨經濟衰退而下降。這不只是一次性實現的棒球擊球率效應。

　　Rather, it was a productivity boost that has continued in defiance of expert predictionsthat workers can only be squeezed so hard for a short while.

　　專家們認為這是一種依靠壓榨產業工人在短時期內維持的經濟增長模式。然而恰恰相反，這種增長是靠全力提升勞動生產率實現的。

　　After falling in the first half of the year, American labour productivity was 2.3% higher in thethird quarter of 2011 than in the same period a year earlier.

　　經歷了上半年的下降后，2011年第三季度美國的勞動生產率同比增長了2.3%，

　　This was the fastest quarterly rise in 18 months.

　　這是18個月內最快的季度性增長。

　　Manufacturing productivity in that quarter rose by 2.9% compared with a year earlier.

　　該季度制造業生產率同比增長了2.9%。

　　America s productivity growth has been more robust than most other rich countries a featmany ascribe to its flexible labour market and a culture of enterprise.

　　美國的生產率比絕大多數發達國家增長得更為強勁許多人將這一成就歸功于美國靈活的勞動力市場機制和特有的企業文化。

　　Yet some analysts expect productivity growth to stall soon.

　　但有些分析師認為生產率不久將停止增長。

　　Hard-pressed workers are feeling grouchy: workforce surveys report record levels of jobdissatisfaction.

　　重重壓力令產業工人們牢騷不斷：勞動力調查顯示出對工作表示不滿的人數創了紀錄。

　　Many firms have been starving the organisation to see how it can do with a lower coststructure, says Carsten Stendevad of Citigroup, a bank.

　　銀行Citigroup的Carsten Stendevad說，很多公司正忍饑挨餓，以 測試自身在低成本狀態下的生存能力。

　　Unless the economy picks up, he predicts that productivity growth will slow in 2023.

　　他預計，只要經濟形勢沒有好轉，2023年生產率增長就會放緩。

　　Two things could keep productivity rising.

　　有兩個因素能使生產率持續增長。

　　First, workers are terrified of losing their jobs.

　　其一，工人們害怕失業，

　　This makes it easier to persuade them to put in extra hours or shoulder new tasks.

　　這使得鼓勵他們加班或干其它的活變得更加容易。

　　Even in unionised firms, there have been reports of greater flexibility.

　　據媒體報道，即使企業里有工會，維權活動仍更具彈性。

　　Workers have been staying on the job longer rather than featherbedding their hours by,

　　工人們將更多的時間用于工作，

　　for example, queuing up early to clock off as soon as the shift ends.

　　而不是一到換班時間便早早排隊下班等浪費行為。

　　Second, tough times are forcing firms to strain every brain cell to become more efficient.

　　其二，困難的時局正促使企業為提高效率而繃緊每一根神經。

　　Sealed Air, for example, has made numerous incremental tweaks,

　　以希悅爾包裝公司為例，該公司逐步做出了大量技術改進，

　　such as upgrading a machine that makes absorbent pads for supermarket meat trays sothat its output increased from 400 units per hour three years ago to 550with the samenumber of workers.

　　如通過升級一款生產超市裝肉托盤用吸水紙的機器，在工人數量相同的條件下，產量由三年前的每小時500件提升到550件。

　　The willingness of firms to invest in such enhancements has varied enormously.

　　企業對這類技術改進的投資意愿各不相同。

　　Some would rather hoard cash or buy back their own shares than spend it on more efficientmachinery or information technology.

　　有的企業寧愿積蓄資金或購買自己的股票也不愿投資于產能提升和信息技術領域。

　　Yet there are signs that leading industrial firms are starting to increase their capital spending,says Jeff Sprague of Vertical Research Partners, a research outfit.

　　而研究組織縱向研究伙伴的Jeff Sprague認為，主要工業企業已有增加投資的跡象，并尤其指出，企業正投資于消除瓶頸。

　　In particular, he has noticed firms investing in debottlenecking which, as its name suggests,means removing hold-ups in production processes, sometimes with an additional productionline.

　　這一概念名稱意味著清除生產過程中的障礙，有時還要為此增加生產線。

　　There are hefty gains to be made from using more automation, says Mr Hickey, adding thatalthough he worries about diminishing returns, we haven t hit the wall yet.

　　更廣泛地使用自動化技術可獲得更大規模的收益，并坦言自己雖然擔心收益止升回落，但我們還沒有觸及增幅上限。

　　Service businesses, too, are wringing efficiency improvements from new technology.

　　服務業也正通過運用新技術努力提升效率。

　　Hertz allows customers to rent cars at automated kiosks, just as airlines have for some timeallowed passengers to check in without talking to anyone. Fast-food firms,

　　汽車租賃公司Hertz如今可使顧客通過自動化租車亭實現汽車租賃，就像航空公司曾使旅客不用與任何人交談便可辦理登機手續一樣。

　　such as McDonald s and Starbucks, are continuously innovating with their products andservice.

　　快餐企業如麥當勞、星巴克等正堅持產品和服務創新。

　　In short, the recession has forced American firms to become more muscular.

　　總之，此輪經濟衰退迫使美國企業變得更加強健。

　　This should help them thrive when the good times return.

　　這將有助于它們在經濟復蘇后蓬勃發展，

　　It should also give them an edge over foreign rivals.

　　并提高對外國競爭對手的優勢。

　　But all such advantages are temporary.

　　但這所有的優點都是暫時的。

　　As Mr Hickey points out, a factory that Sealed Air opened in Mexico was expected to be farless productive than one in America, but within four years had caught up.

　　Hickey指出，寶廷在墨西哥的一家工廠的產能曾被認為會遠遠落后于其在美國的一家工廠，但四年之內，前者便追平了后者。

　　詞語解釋

　　1.productivity n.生產率;生產力

　　We should aim with efforts for higher productivity.

　　我們應該力爭達到更高的生產率。

　　2.reluctant a.不情愿的;勉強的

　　They were very reluctant to help.

　　他們不大愿意幫忙。

　　3.recovery n.恢復;痊愈;復原

　　We are surprised by the rapidity of her recovery.

　　她恢復得那么快，我們都有些驚訝。

　　4.slump v.大幅度下跌;猛然癱坐

　　Sales have slumped in the last month.

　　上月銷售量驟降。

　　5.squeeze v.擠壓;塞進;壓榨

　　Kara squeezed the bottle, and the water rushed out.

　　卡拉擠壓著那個瓶子,水一下子噴了出來。

　　Hard times, lean firms

　　艱難時局磨練高效能企業

　　How much longer can America keep increasingproductivity?

　　美國的生產率增長還能持續多久?

　　EVERYONE complains that corporate America is reluctant to hire additional workers.

　　企業不愿再增加雇傭量在美國引起民怨沸騰。

　　Far less attention has been paid to the flip side of the jobless recovery:

　　但很少有人關注減少失業率的有效途徑：

　　the remarkable improvement in American productivity.

　　顯著提升美國的勞動生產率水平。

　　How long can this continue? I see no limit, says William Hickey, the boss of Sealed Air, apackaging-maker.

　　這種提升能持續多久?包裝材料制造商寶廷的老總William Hickey 說：依我看來可無限期提升。

　　Is he right to be so optimistic?

　　他的這種樂觀估計是對還是錯?

　　American firms were slow to react to the downturn at the beginning of the century, and paidthe price.

　　新世紀之初，美國企業在應對經濟衰退時反應遲鈍，并為此付出了代價。

　　They learned their lesson.

　　它們吸取了教訓，

　　When the economy slumped in 2008, they weremuch quicker to adjust.

　　更快地適應了2008年的經濟大蕭條，

　　There was little of the fall in labour productivity that normally accompanies a recession, andthis was not just a one-off batting average effect.

　　且勞動生產率也沒有如往常隨經濟衰退而下降。這不只是一次性實現的棒球擊球率效應。

　　Rather, it was a productivity boost that has continued in defiance of expert predictionsthat workers can only be squeezed so hard for a short while.

　　專家們認為這是一種依靠壓榨產業工人在短時期內維持的經濟增長模式。然而恰恰相反，這種增長是靠全力提升勞動生產率實現的。

　　After falling in the first half of the year, American labour productivity was 2.3% higher in thethird quarter of 2011 than in the same period a year earlier.

　　經歷了上半年的下降后，2011年第三季度美國的勞動生產率同比增長了2.3%，

　　This was the fastest quarterly rise in 18 months.

　　這是18個月內最快的季度性增長。

　　Manufacturing productivity in that quarter rose by 2.9% compared with a year earlier.

　　該季度制造業生產率同比增長了2.9%。

　　America s productivity growth has been more robust than most other rich countries a featmany ascribe to its flexible labour market and a culture of enterprise.

　　美國的生產率比絕大多數發達國家增長得更為強勁許多人將這一成就歸功于美國靈活的勞動力市場機制和特有的企業文化。

　　Yet some analysts expect productivity growth to stall soon.

　　但有些分析師認為生產率不久將停止增長。

　　Hard-pressed workers are feeling grouchy: workforce surveys report record levels of jobdissatisfaction.

　　重重壓力令產業工人們牢騷不斷：勞動力調查顯示出對工作表示不滿的人數創了紀錄。

　　Many firms have been starving the organisation to see how it can do with a lower coststructure, says Carsten Stendevad of Citigroup, a bank.

　　銀行Citigroup的Carsten Stendevad說，很多公司正忍饑挨餓，以 測試自身在低成本狀態下的生存能力。

　　Unless the economy picks up, he predicts that productivity growth will slow in 2023.

　　他預計，只要經濟形勢沒有好轉，2023年生產率增長就會放緩。

　　Two things could keep productivity rising.

　　有兩個因素能使生產率持續增長。

　　First, workers are terrified of losing their jobs.

　　其一，工人們害怕失業，

　　This makes it easier to persuade them to put in extra hours or shoulder new tasks.

　　這使得鼓勵他們加班或干其它的活變得更加容易。

　　Even in unionised firms, there have been reports of greater flexibility.

　　據媒體報道，即使企業里有工會，維權活動仍更具彈性。

　　Workers have been staying on the job longer rather than featherbedding their hours by,

　　工人們將更多的時間用于工作，

　　for example, queuing up early to clock off as soon as the shift ends.

　　而不是一到換班時間便早早排隊下班等浪費行為。

　　Second, tough times are forcing firms to strain every brain cell to become more efficient.

　　其二，困難的時局正促使企業為提高效率而繃緊每一根神經。

　　Sealed Air, for example, has made numerous incremental tweaks,

　　以希悅爾包裝公司為例，該公司逐步做出了大量技術改進，

　　such as upgrading a machine that makes absorbent pads for supermarket meat trays sothat its output increased from 400 units per hour three years ago to 550with the samenumber of workers.

　　如通過升級一款生產超市裝肉托盤用吸水紙的機器，在工人數量相同的條件下，產量由三年前的每小時500件提升到550件。

　　The willingness of firms to invest in such enhancements has varied enormously.

　　企業對這類技術改進的投資意愿各不相同。

　　Some would rather hoard cash or buy back their own shares than spend it on more efficientmachinery or information technology.

　　有的企業寧愿積蓄資金或購買自己的股票也不愿投資于產能提升和信息技術領域。

　　Yet there are signs that leading industrial firms are starting to increase their capital spending,says Jeff Sprague of Vertical Research Partners, a research outfit.

　　而研究組織縱向研究伙伴的Jeff Sprague認為，主要工業企業已有增加投資的跡象，并尤其指出，企業正投資于消除瓶頸。

　　In particular, he has noticed firms investing in debottlenecking which, as its name suggests,means removing hold-ups in production processes, sometimes with an additional productionline.

　　這一概念名稱意味著清除生產過程中的障礙，有時還要為此增加生產線。

　　There are hefty gains to be made from using more automation, says Mr Hickey, adding thatalthough he worries about diminishing returns, we haven t hit the wall yet.

　　更廣泛地使用自動化技術可獲得更大規模的收益，并坦言自己雖然擔心收益止升回落，但我們還沒有觸及增幅上限。

　　Service businesses, too, are wringing efficiency improvements from new technology.

　　服務業也正通過運用新技術努力提升效率。

　　Hertz allows customers to rent cars at automated kiosks, just as airlines have for some timeallowed passengers to check in without talking to anyone. Fast-food firms,

　　汽車租賃公司Hertz如今可使顧客通過自動化租車亭實現汽車租賃，就像航空公司曾使旅客不用與任何人交談便可辦理登機手續一樣。

　　such as McDonald s and Starbucks, are continuously innovating with their products andservice.

　　快餐企業如麥當勞、星巴克等正堅持產品和服務創新。

　　In short, the recession has forced American firms to become more muscular.

　　總之，此輪經濟衰退迫使美國企業變得更加強健。

　　This should help them thrive when the good times return.

　　這將有助于它們在經濟復蘇后蓬勃發展，

　　It should also give them an edge over foreign rivals.

　　并提高對外國競爭對手的優勢。

　　But all such advantages are temporary.

　　但這所有的優點都是暫時的。

　　As Mr Hickey points out, a factory that Sealed Air opened in Mexico was expected to be farless productive than one in America, but within four years had caught up.

　　Hickey指出，寶廷在墨西哥的一家工廠的產能曾被認為會遠遠落后于其在美國的一家工廠，但四年之內，前者便追平了后者。

　　詞語解釋

　　1.productivity n.生產率;生產力

　　We should aim with efforts for higher productivity.

　　我們應該力爭達到更高的生產率。

　　2.reluctant a.不情愿的;勉強的

　　They were very reluctant to help.

　　他們不大愿意幫忙。

　　3.recovery n.恢復;痊愈;復原

　　We are surprised by the rapidity of her recovery.

　　她恢復得那么快，我們都有些驚訝。

　　4.slump v.大幅度下跌;猛然癱坐

　　Sales have slumped in the last month.

　　上月銷售量驟降。

　　5.squeeze v.擠壓;塞進;壓榨

　　Kara squeezed the bottle, and the water rushed out.

　　卡拉擠壓著那個瓶子,水一下子噴了出來。