BMGT30280 Ireland’s International Business Environment

Academic Year 2024/2025

Ireland is a small but highly globalized economy with respect to trade, investment and migration. It is a member of the European Union (28 member states and 507 million population) and the Eurozone (19 member states and 334 million population). In recent years Ireland received rave reviews for the dynamism of its economy ratcheting up high annual growth rates. Several years of double-digit GDP/GNP growth in the mid / late 1990s led to comparisons with the tiger economies of East Asia, and accordingly the ‘Celtic Tiger’ term was coined.

Ireland has proven an attractive location for multinationals not least American with respect to accessing the EU market. The Irish business environment has been seen as facilitative for FDI in terms of low corporate tax rate of 12.5% and transparent institutions. But Ireland is not just a passive location for multinationals. M&A data shows that for every $100 dollars invested in Ireland, $80 is invested in the US market by Irish companies. The domestic enterprise system is highly dynamic and, by dint of necessity, very internationalised. The balance of payments tells the story of how internationalised all aspects of Ireland enterprise system is.

However, membership of the Eurozone resulted - arguably - in lower interest rates and - less arguably- high inflation, and fundamental competitiveness issues due to a rapidly appreciating currency vis-à-vis the dollar. Recycled cheap international capital flooded the Irish banking system particularly in the 2005-2008 period. Lax central bank oversight, government regulation, inadequate regulatory response, and low property taxation facilitated the creation of an asset bubble. Its collapse, catalysed by the Lehman Brothers’collapse of September 2008, destroyed the Irish banking system and undermined the sovereign credit-worthiness of the economy. The economy returned to growth in 2013, and the economic outlook is relatively positive, despite the ever-present danger of Euro crises.

This module is an elective International Business module with the geographical focus being Ireland. It provides contextual information on the Irish business environment, on Ireland as a successful location for international business, and internationalising dimensions of Irish SMEs. The key factors pertaining to international business in Ireland will be examined: political economy, institutional capacities, culture and ethics; the Irish economy and enterprise system; cross-border trade and investment; and the international monetary system and the Euro. Moreover, given that the students will be living abroad for a period of time, there is also a strong acculturation dimension which is explored through a learning journal assignment.

This is a 5 credit module. The assessment criteria are as follows: an individual pre-arrival introductory paper (10%); an individual essay (20%); an individual learning journal (15%); a group project (35%) and individual class participation / attendance (20%).

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Curricular information is subject to change

Learning Outcomes:

On completion of this module, students are expected to be able to:
• Develop critical thinking about international business and integrate prior knowledge, skills, abilities, and attitudes to develop a broader understanding of doing business internationally.
• Develop skills and experience in the identification, analysis, processing of organisational and institutional factors that influence doing business internationally and specifically in Ireland.
• Broaden their cultural empathy and communication skills to function effectively in the global world of work developed through their daily life and through a learning journal reflection assignment.
• Internalise and apply all the above through class participation, the completion of a group project on an international business in Ireland and an assignment essay.

Indicative Module Content:

This module is an elective International Business module with the geographical focus being Ireland. It provides contextual information on the Irish business environment, on Ireland as a successful location for international business, and internationalising dimensions of Irish SMEs. The key factors pertaining to international business in Ireland will be examined: political economy, institutional capacities, culture and ethics; the Irish economy and enterprise system; cross-border trade and investment; and the international monetary system and the Euro. Moreover, given that the students will be living abroad for a period of time, there is also a strong acculturation dimension which is explored through a learning journal assignment.

Student Effort Hours: 
Student Effort Type Hours
Lectures

25
Autonomous Student Learning

20
Placement/Work Experience

80
Total

125
Approaches to Teaching and Learning:
Learning Outcomes

On completion of this module, students are expected to be able to:

• Develop critical thinking about international business and integrate prior knowledge, skills, abilities, and attitudes to develop a broader understanding of doing business internationally.
• Develop skills and experience in the identification, analysis, processing of organisational and institutional factors that influence doing business internationally and specifically in Ireland.
• Broaden their cultural empathy and communication skills to function effectively in the global world of work developed through their daily life and through a learning journal reflection assignment.
• Internalise and apply all the above through class participation, the completion of a group project on an international business in Ireland and an assignment essay.

Skills & Competencies

A key goal of this module is the inculcation of an international business perspective on ‘Doing Business in Ireland’. The key skills and competencies that are promoted within this module are:

• Effective oral and written communication.
• The development of fundamental student abilities with respect to reflective, critical, analytical, and evaluative thinking in an international context.
• The development of Cross-Cultural Intelligence.

These will be attained through:

• A group project (team-work and written assignment).
• Class participation (oral).
• Pre-assignment and Individual Essays (written).

Learning Goals

Above all, from a pedagogical perspective, the key Learning Goals of this ‘Ireland’s International Business Environment’ module are to:

• Engender effective communication – oral and written.
• Promote strategic thinking among students.
• Develop students’ analytical skills.
• Equip students for the world of work with appropriate job skills.
• Foster students’ reflective learning.
 
Requirements, Exclusions and Recommendations

Not applicable to this module.


Module Requisites and Incompatibles
Not applicable to this module.
 
Assessment Strategy  
Description Timing Open Book Exam Component Scale Must Pass Component % of Final Grade

Not yet recorded.

Carry forward of passed components
Yes
 
Remediation Type Remediation Timing
Repeat (CFP) Within Three Semesters
Please see Student Jargon Buster for more information about remediation types and timing. 
Feedback Strategy/Strategies

• Feedback individually to students, post-assessment
• Group/class feedback, post-assessment
• Peer review activities

How will my Feedback be Delivered?

Individual feedback for individual assignments and group feedback for group assignments.

Name Role
Dr Elena Sannikova Lecturer / Co-Lecturer