Irish policy in a global context: From state autonomy to social partnership

Abstract

This paper is concerned with the national economic context within which Irish management strategies must operate. It focuses particularly on the public policy aspects of this economic context. What are the key economic policy problems which Ireland faces? Does a small, extremely open, country have any policy autonomy in the world of global markets and firms? Does the approach to policy‐making and implementation at national level have implications for decision‐making at company and sectoral level? To answer these questions, it is necessary to apply to national policy a concept which has already been widely applied to corporate management. That concept is globalization. Indeed, the application of this concept has somewhat similar consequences in strategic management and public policy‐making. The internationalization of the economy has definite implications for both strategic management and public policy; yet, in both spheres the concept of globalization requires careful scrutiny and qualification.