About Us | Irish Exhibit Strong Innovation Tendencies According to Research
Right-brained thinking a quality feature of the Irish, opening the potential for the country in innovation and to be a management HQ for global firms
Irish executives and entrepreneurs are equipped with the psychological and cultural competencies that can give Ireland a competitive advantage if properly supported, according to new research launched today by the Irish Management Institute (IMI).
The research, undertaken in partnership with the IDA, was based on a sample of 117 Irish executives and entrepreneurs and compared to international norms. The study indicated a substantial trend towards what is considered right-brain dominated cognition.
Both Irish executives and entrepreneurs reported in the research a consistent pattern of preference for right-brained thinking, which includes attributes such as intuition, the ability to make seemingly unrelated connections and tolerance of ambiguity.
The concept of tolerance for ambiguity is about being able to hold incongruent ideas without stress and the ability to see the bigger picture. Ambiguity is inherent to entrepreneurial activity due to the innovative and original nature of start up enterprises. Irish entrepreneurs scored above average on this scale.
Launching the report in the IMI in Sandyford, Dublin, the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Innovation, Batt O'Keeffe TD, said: "As Ireland enters economic recovery, we must now harness the core competencies among our people that can drive entrepreneurship and innovation. The findings in this report show that the Irish people have the kind of characteristics needed to build the 'smart' economy, in partnership with Government, as we seek to create higher value jobs for tomorrow's workers. As Minister, I want to focus, in particular, on innovation so that we maximise opportunities to turn our academic research into marketplace products and give Irish entrepreneurs a competitive edge over others."
IDA Ireland CEO Barry O'Leary welcomed the research findings and said: "IDA Ireland has been able to showcase Irish management and the availability of talent as a key selling point to attract multinationals to Ireland. Along with our favourable business environment, excellent academic institutions, corporate tax regime, the Irish manager has something that no other country can offer. There is something inherent in the Irish way of innovating, of doing business which has made Ireland so successful in attracting Foreign Direct Investment and embedding some of the world's leading companies here in Ireland."
Dr Tom McCarthy, IMI CEO, highlighted that the findings indicated Irish executives and entrepreneurs strongly exhibited many of the attributes traditionally associated with innovation. "A consistent pattern of results emerges from this research," said McCarthy. "This pattern indicates a substantial trend towards what is considered right-brain dominated cognition. This is a key building block underpinning innovation."
"The research shows a capacity of the Irish for good, quick decision making making us strong managers for global firms. This opens the potential for Ireland in a greater way to market itself as a centre for the basing of global and European, Middle Eastern and African headquarter operations here."
Key findings from the research point to the emergence of a signature mindset with a competency set necessary for Ireland to compete internationally
• The Irish entrepreneurial executive has a preference for connecting and associating with others and is strongly people oriented;
• The Irish entrepreneurial executive has a preference to be original rather than traditional and finds personal inspiration through innovation;
• Irish entrepreneurial executives are more likely to be individualistic and self reliant when compared to their international peers;
• A factor most important for entrepreneurs is competition;
• There is a greater tolerance for ambiguity which is inherent to entrepreneurial activity due to the innovative and original nature of start up enterprises;
• The Irish sample was characterized by a rapid decision style and a reliance on speeded up rationality or intuition.
The research is validated by the Oxford Psychologist's Press and was based on a battery of tests including the Myers Briggs Type Indicator, the 16PF, the Decision Style Inventory, the Tolerance for Ambiguity Scale and the Auckland Individualism and Collectivism Scale. The entrepreneurs were chosen on the basis that they had started enterprises, in some cases multi-enterprises.
Andrew McLaughlin, IMI Senior Management Specialist and main author of the report, said: "Economic prosperity depends on such individuals doing their own thing and having a supportive environment. The form such support might take includes a valuing of such independent thought and action from the school system up to national enterprise policy and support structures. To support the entrepreneur we need to remind ourselves of the qualities that are needed to be successful. These are qualities that are deeply embedded in the Irish mind. For the first time we have a good description of what these qualities are. The next step is to nurture and support those who carry the qualities that we need to compete successfully in the conceptual age."
The report is available at: www.dyflin.ie/imi
For further information please contact:
Irish Management Institute (IMI) -
Frank Condon Tel: +353 1 207 8590 IDA Ireland -
Trevor Holmes Tel: +353 87 242 5560
Antoinette Tyrrell Tel:+353 87 7572053
Departement of Enterprise, Trade and Innovation-
Bernard Mallee Tel: +353 87 9173022
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