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View Full Version : Dovetailing of needs?

alexb123
02-06-09, 01:14 PM
What does "dovetailing of needs" mean?

Any ideas?
Enmos
02-06-09, 01:18 PM
Dovetailing: To combine or interlock into a unified whole: The nurses' schedules dovetailed, so that one was always on duty.
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/dovetailing
Enmos
02-06-09, 01:27 PM
I guess it's kind of making compromises to make sure a particular situation 'works'.
Fraggle Rocker
02-06-09, 10:25 PM
No, dovetailing does not require a compromise, that's the whole point. It happens naturally or by accident. Two Chinese-speaking nurses discover that their schedules dovetail, so most of the time one of them is on duty in case someone comes in who only speaks Chinese.

If I'm out of beer but I just made too many tamales, whereas you need a tamal and you made too much beer, our needs dovetail.
Enmos
02-07-09, 05:14 AM
No, dovetailing does not require a compromise, that's the whole point. It happens naturally or by accident. Two Chinese-speaking nurses discover that their schedules dovetail, so most of the time one of them is on duty in case someone comes in who only speaks Chinese.

If I'm out of beer but I just made too many tamales, whereas you need a tamal and you made too much beer, our needs dovetail.

Ah.. like that. Thanks !