Ireland

Country Information: Ireland●The Irish Mindset●Characteristics of Society●Lifestyle & Aspirations●The Essentials (10 Key Tips)●Working with the Irish●Making a Good Impression●Business Etiquette●Business Meeting Culture●Motivating Others●Effective Presentations●Managing RelationshipsThe Irish MindsetIreland is a predominantly Celtic nation, typical values of which include a love of dialogue, idealism, informality, a sense of irony, creative vision and a strong sense of family. Religion is important and for many, particularly outside Dublin, the church is the focal point of the community. Nowadays, though, Ireland has to deal with the conflict between traditional Catholic values, which many see as strongly male-orientated, and the fact that the country (or Dublin, at least) is fast becoming a young, exciting, dynamic cultural melting pot. The Irish are excited by the impact the EU has had on their country, although uneasy about the fact that Dublin is, to many, becoming 'just another big European city' now.to top Characteristics of SocietyKnown as the 'Celtic Tiger', Ireland is enjoying a social and economic boom as one of the most favoured investment locations in Europe. Over 1,200 overseas companies do business successfully from Ireland, not just throughout Europe but worldwide. Membership of the EU has transformed the country's economic landscape and allowed the country to develop a newidentity not linked to its past with the UK. There isconsiderable positive feeling about the EU.Ireland also maintains close links with the USAwhere there is a significant Irish Americanpopulation. Ireland's diaspora spreads all over theworld and the country maintains close links withCanada, Australia and New Zealand. Diplomaticrelations are maintained with more than 100countries, with 43 Irish embassies abroad.The country is renowned for its excellent quality of life, its clean environment and its open and supportive attitude to inward investors. Its people are strongly influenced by a rich tradition of literature, music and dance, all of which shape Ireland's cultural life today. Ireland is also known as the youngest country in Europe; the structure of the Irish population is such that the availability of a young work force is likely to continue well into the next century. In the year 2000, 40% of people in Ireland were under 25 years of age; this compares with the European average of approximately 30%.to top Lifestyle & AspirationsTraditional Gaelic culture continues to have a strong influence on society today in everything from literature to music to sport.Leisure interests in Ireland generally involve socialising - in the pub, in restaurants, or on the sports field. The Irish are a gregarious, talkative, competitive people and sport as a spectator and participation event is important to them.Popular activities include:●Gaelic football and hurling: Uniquely Irishsports such as hurling and Gaelic footballare widely played and followed throughoutIreland today, and they have long been partof the Irish experience; Gaelic football datesto at least the seventeenth century andhurling has been played in one form oranother for over one thousand years.●Football (or soccer)●Camogie (another uniquely Irish sport)●Horse racing: a big spectator sport. Irelandalso has a strong tradition of breeding racehorses.●Socialising in pubs: The pub is traditionally the favoured place for socialising and'going for a pint' is something of a national pastime. There are over 10,000 pubs inIreland, many offering live traditional and modern music as well as pub food.●Storytelling: Four winners of the Nobel Prize for Literature came from Ireland - W.B.Yeats, George Bernard Shaw, Samuel Beckett and most recently (1995) the poetSeamus Heaney. Other famous Irish writers and poets include James Joyce, FlannO'Brien, Oscar Wilde, Jonathan Swift, Patrick Kavanagh and Brendan Behan. Modern Irish writers with global recognition include Maeve Binchy, Deirdre Purcell, MarianKeyes and Roddy Doyle. Contemporary Irish dramatists include Brian Friel, TomKilroy, Tom Murphy, Frank McGuinness, Sebastian Barry, Martin McDonagh andConor McPherson.●Visiting friends and family: Many Irish Catholic families are large and family ties arestrong.●Watching television and film: Indigenously produced films began to appear in the1970s, directed by filmmakers Bob Quinn, Joe Comerford, Cathal Black, Pat Murphy and Thaddeus O'Suillivan. More contemporary filmmakers who have achievedinternational success include Neil Jordan, Jim Sheridan, Noel Pearson and GerryStembridge. Irish actors like Maureen O'Hara, Richard Harris, Liam Neeson, ColinFarrell, Brenda Fricker, Gabriel Byrne, Pearse Brosnan, Fionnuala Flanagan, AidanQuinn and Stephen Rea have all pursued or are pursuing successful internationalcareers.●Socialising with singing and dancing: Music is an intrinsic part of Irish culture from thetraditional Irish song and ballads in the past to our world famous modern musicianssuch as U2, Van Morrison and The Corrs. Dancing has always been part of Ireland's culture and traditional dance has been revolutionised by the success of Riverdance.to topThe Essentials (10 Key Tips)1. It is important to remember that while people from thenorth and the south share certain commoncharacteristics, culture and history, the two areas areseparate political entities.2. Building a relationship is important before getting downto business. Socialising plays a big part in Irishbusiness life. Family life is highly valued. Whenbuilding trust with you, the Irish will want to know aboutyou , "the whole person" not just your business role.3. Networking is also very important. Your Irishcounterparts will assist you in networking at first andyou are expected to make use of these newrelationships. Failure to do so will be noticed.4. The business community is small and close-knit, so becareful what you say and to whom.5. The Irish like a combination of hard facts and technicalknowledge as well as eloquent presentations and arguments.6. The Irish find arguments and opinionated conversation entertaining so don't hesitateto express your views as long as they are sincere and well-informed.7. Even though most Irish business people will admit that locally there is a relaxedattitude to time in many situations, it is still advisable to be punctual. But manage your expectations accordingly and do not get frustrated at 'minor' delays.8. The Irish are tough negotiators; do not be fooled by their apparent relaxed attitudeand friendly nature.9. Cynicism is an important part of the national character. The Irish hold a great respectfor the "underdog" (the one in a contest who is expected to lose!) so it is best to staymodest about your personal achievements until a relationship has been established.10. The Irish are quick to criticize themselves but are not always open to criticism fromothers. If there is a conflict in the workplace, it is advisable to discuss it one-to-one.to top Working with the IrishThe Irish are highly social and are great networkers, and it is important to recognise this and make the most of opportunities yourself, as you will be judged on your ability to get along with others. Business entertaining plays a big role in everyday life, whether it's playing golf, eatingin a smart restaurant, or simply enjoying a pint of Guinness inthe pub.Ideal characteristics for someone planning to manage a teamin Ireland include being a good social mixer, being technicallycompetent, a strong decision maker, a sensitive leader andhaving a degree of flexibility. Good communication skills areimportant, whether it's delivering an eloquent and convincingpresentation, or being persuasive around the meeting table.It is important to realise that the Irish have a desire to pleaseand tend to put a positive spin on things. Giving negativefeedback may be avoided, or dressed up as less serious thanit is, or hidden behind humour. The Irish are high-context andindirect communicators, so visitors must learn to read betweenthe lines and interpret other factors, such as body language, before reacting to a situation.to top Making a Good ImpressionIdeal characteristics of a negotiator visiting Ireland would besomeone who is technically competent and a decision-makeron deals. Being at ease and friendly, and being a good socialmixer helps; socialising around work is important and businessin Ireland is conducted around a tight network of familymembers and friends. To get on, it is essential to join clubsand societies, and attend networking events and conventionsand get to meet people. If you are invited to the pub, acceptand remember to buy your round of drinks. After-work drinkingis a big part of Irish culture ('craic').Show respect for Ireland's history, Catholicism and sense ofpatriotism. Never talk down to the Irish, or confuse them withthe English or Scots.to topBusiness EtiquetteBusiness etiquette in Ireland is relatively informal and relaxed, with a tendency to take things slowly, get to know people, socialise with them and to make small talk. Hospitality plays an important role in building a business relationship, and however casual the socialising seems, your Irish counterparts will be summing you up continuously. Networking is an essential part of business life.Business cardsBusiness cards should be exchanged but it's notnecessary to make a big deal about your academicqualifications. You are more likely to be assessedat face value and do not want to be perceived asarrogant or boastful. It is normal to exchangebusiness cards at the end of a meeting. There is noparticular ritual governing their presentation.Body languageAs in many North European cultures, personal space is valued. Do not stand too close to someone. Maintain eye contact with the person you are talking to. Not looking someone in the eye may cause you to come across as suspicious. Be lively, open and demonstrative but above all, genuine. Touching someone's arm or grabbing their hand may take them by surprise and unnerve them.Communication styleCommunication in Irish businesses is a mixture of clear and explicit when it comes to making an important point, and implicit when someone is trying to avoid stating a fact or giving a negative answer. There is a tendency to avoid upsetting somebody by saying 'no'. You will probably observe that the Irish are far more animated speakers than the English. Moreover, they can sometimes be described as prone to the legendary national pastime of 'blarney', that is, embellishing the truth. In the course of a conversation, you may have to think critically, to discern the plausibility of what you are being told. Listen carefully and read between the lines.Gift givingIt is not expected that business visitors will bring gifts. The Irish will value your contribution to 'good craic' above any gift you may bring. If, however, you are invited to a person's house for a meal, a bottle of wine, flowers or chocolate are appropriate. An illustrated book from your home region could be another welcome gift. As the saying goes "It's the thought that counts", and here your thoughtful choice will be considered far more important than the size or cost of the gift.to topBusiness Meeting CultureIrish business thrives on face-to-face meetings, and the exchange of ideas and input from foreigners is welcomed (although not necessarily trusted). Because of this it is relatively easy to arrange meetings at all levels within a company. Do not, however, expect the meeting to run to a strict agenda. Meetings are seen as discussion forums rather than a gathering which is expected to generate a result, and participants may relish digressing at length. Often during meetings, interesting ideas, the more abstract and theoretical the better, are considered worthier of consideration than empirical data and other hard facts.Planning a meetingThe Irish business community can be something of a closed shop, with family and close professional contacts forming a close-knit network that can be hard to penetrate. If you havean introduction from the inside, use it. Once youhave been accepted, your relationship should belong-lasting.Treat the secretaries of senior executives withrespect. Getting on with the assistant will get youthrough the door. Make an appointment a couple ofweeks before travelling to Ireland and reconfirm itwhen you get there. Although the Irish are veryrelaxed, you should turn up on time, even if theperson you are meeting is late. You must appear reliable and your counterpart will be assessing you from the first moment.During a MeetingAlthough meetings tend to get going swiftly, a certain amount of small talk is appreciated. Lively debate is considered a good thing. Certain subjects are taboo, though, including the Catholic Church and its influence, the position with the English in Northern Ireland, and immigration.If you need conversation topics to kick off the small talk, the beauty of Ireland, music and most important, sport, particularly horses, will all go down well.Aggressive sales techniques are not usually welcomed; any meeting will look at the positive and negative aspects of a situation, so if you are making grandiose statements and claims, expect them to be followed up. Generally speaking, though, the Irish are a cynical race and you may come across objections to any suggestion of change, or ambitious plans.Expect to have to negotiate hard. The Irish drive a tough bargain.Following a meetingFollow up in writing - Irish companies are quite formal in this respect - and stay in touch. Once you are involved with an Irish company, expect it to be on a personal as well as professional level. Maintaining the relationship is very important, as is developing any network of contacts that may have sprung from the meeting. The business community is tight-knit and feedback, both positive and negative, travels around very quickly.to top Motivating OthersThe Irish workforce is young (40% under the age of 25), ambitious and highly educated. People are motivated by personal achievement, independence and results. The work ethic is strong and turnover of staff lower than in other European countries, although the live-to-worknotion is not appreciated here. Loyalty is morelikely to be towards one's co-workers than to thecompany.Workers are accustomed to rewards and expectcompany cars, pensions, bonus schemes, profitshare, health insurance and share options. Lesstangible perks are also becoming more important,including flexitime, part-time working, teleworkingand job-sharing.A strong flow of positive feedback is appreciated;personal relationships with one's co-workers and superiors are important and people are motivated by regular input from their team leader.to top Effective PresentationsPresentations should be short and to the point. Despite the relaxed image, Irish corporate culture is quite strict and hard-working and while meetings may go off at a tangent, presentations within meetings should be kept brief.Back everything up with facts and evidence. Boastingand emotional statements will be received withsuspicion. Do be positive about your company and itsachievementsIf you want to add an element of humour, sportinganalogies normally go down well; eloquence and witare appreciated in this nation of great storytellers. Becareful about terms, though. Ireland is not called Eire in Ireland, it is called Ireland. Never refer to Britain as 'the mainland'. Remember that Ireland more than ever sees itself as part of Europe now and that the historic ties to Britain are loosening.Audience ExpectationsThe Irish tend to be polite, attentive listeners, and will restrain themselves from interrupting. At times, there is a tendency to demand convincing evidence, while on other occasions, to accept things on faith. But generally speaking, the Irish are both deductive and associative thinkers. The way things are done, the time, reason, and circumstances, are generally far more important than the result. In short, the process, rather than the outcome, is the main priority.to top Managing RelationshipsRelationships are an important part of Irish business culture, which operates on a highly personal level. It is important to form a bond with members of one's team, suppliers, customers and colleagues within the industry.Generally speaking, the Irish workforce is highlymotivated and enthusiastic, with a strong workethic. People will demonstrate loyalty to acompany, although this loyalty may in fact be moreto their co-workers. They expect fair rewards andflexibility in an employer is becoming increasinglyimportant, particularly among women with smallchildren. Recognition and positive feedback areimportant, too, although people do not necessarilyexpect to be singled out for praise. Deliveringcriticism is another matter and the Irish have a fairly strong sense of 'face'. Negative feedback is rarely given directly and bluntly. Conflict does, of course, occur, but should not be confused with the lively discussion that is part of the Irish love of talk and debate.Coaching and mentoring are important in Ireland and many companies have sophisticated schemes, as well as investing in training. Job mobility is low relative to some European countries.to top。