Standing on the Shoulders of Giants: The Evolution of the Irish Space Sector from an Institutional Perspective

Abstract

This article focuses on Ireland's potential as a space actor and the role that the space sector can play in contributing to Ireland's future development. By embracing the metaphor of ‘standing on the shoulders of giants’ and by reconciling an institutional perspective of entrepreneurship with the triple/quadruple helix model, the article describes the journey of the Irish space sector that has capitalised on the experience of the major space players already established in the space arena in order to successfully carve its own niche.