Remembering my MBA Ireland Trip
Remembering My Ireland MBA Trip
Many people travel to Ireland for a glimpse of their Celtic history, my visit was part of my MBA Program with Post University however I must say that even though I went to Ireland through my school program but I also got to see a glimpse of the Celtic history. My experiences were extra ordinary because of Ireland’s jaw dropping paradise landscape. What picks them up again, and gets them gabbing till all hours, are Ireland’s people with their passion, warmth, friendly, personable and well spirited persona infused together with a great culture. Places we visited included business trips; Dell, Irish Parliament, Limerick Institute of Technology and Northern Trust. Famous place like: The Cliff of Moher, King James Castle, Galway and Dublin.
Made sure all my travel documents were in order; this is to include my passport and ID’s. All Americans 16 years of age and older are required to have a passport to travel to Ireland. According to the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade:”U.S. passport holders can stay in Ireland for a maximum of 90 days without a visa. If U.S. passport holders plan to stay longer in Ireland, a visa will be required.” I took time to educate myself about Ireland; learning about things like the city I was visiting, history, culture, values, customs, foods, laws, exchange rates, weather, business manners and methods, religious customs, communication styles and, corporate social responsibilities. Packed accordingly; since I was travelling in May In summer, the averages highest temperatures are between 64 and 68°F for May to July and warmest months, in Ireland are July and August. (“About Ireland”) I packed summer clothes and a few winter cloths and umbrella just in case. Confirmed all reservations. Double checked with your airline, school, hotel, to make sure everything is confirmed. Made sure I have itineraries and confirmation numbers with me. Planned for the time change. Ireland is 5 hours ahead of Eastern Standard Time (EST) and during most of October, Ireland is 4 hours ahead of EST.
Checked with the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) for a list of what is permitted to take on the airplane or into the boarding area and I was on my way! Transportation Security Administration Website: https://www.tsa.gov/
My perceptions about Ireland, people, and business before my trip
My perceptions about Ireland were all positive before travelling to Ireland. I had done my research and had some knowledge that Ireland has a rich culture, great place for business, beautiful scenery, amazing people, values relationships and having fun and have a play hard work hard mentality, values creativity and entrepreneurship and that they and that’s what I witnessed when I was there. They enjoy being creative; I particularly understood this fact when a representative from Limerick Institute of technology pointed out how creativity and entrepreneurship is encouraged and honored in Limerick.
Doing business in Ireland
The Irish economy is growing faster than any other economy in Europe. It has a vibrant, diverse and growing indigenous and multinational company base of which over 95% of active enterprises are SMEs. There is strong competitive business environment Ireland is the UK’s largest export market in food and drink and second largest in clothing, fashion and footwear which makes it very favorable in business. Most businesses open from 09.00 – 18.00hrs, Monday-Saturday. Thursday in Dublin and Belfast is late night shopping to 20.00/21.00hrs.I also found that there is a certain ease of doing business because regulations are not as tough as other countries. There is a strong entrepreneurial spirit were creativity and innovation is valued. Costs of property, staff and services is lower than running a business in a larger EU country. Ireland is the only country in the Eurozone where English as the primary language. It has a resourceful pool of young, educated, English speaking staff. There is Tax incentives for Intellectual property, Research & Development tax credits, capital allowances on IP, double tax treaty network, Capital gains exemption on sale of subsidiaries, 12.5% corporate tax rate, 0% corporate tax rate for SME businesses as an incentive for SME business for job creation. Managers are easily accessible to employees, and communication between employees and managers is often informal and participative.
Ireland is highly individualistic culture. In an organizational sense, this means that managers expect employees to take initiative and be self-reliant. Irish employees aim to be the best at what they do, and superiors respect their hard work and dedication. In return, they base hiring and promotions on merit, skill, and experience. Irish people value qualities such as competition, achievement, and success within their organizations and their everyday lives. The Irish are welcoming of fresh ideas and imagination. They enjoy being creative; have a mentality of “work hard, play hard,” and they believe in having fun and treating oneself.
Advice for home country personnel traveling to the country
Do your research before travelling, make sure you have a valid passport to travel and get plenty of rest before you travel because Ireland is on a different time zone; they are ahead by 5hours. Learn the culture; the Irish people are polite and they expect politeness back, take some euros with you even though they accept major credit cards but your bank does charge a certain percentage per transaction. Carry an umbrella with you because Ireland rains most of the time. Learn how the law works before travelling. The electrical current in Ireland is 220 volts, 50 cycles alternating current (AC)n which is different from the U.S so it’s a good idea to carry an adopter with you. Hotels and restaurants may add a service charge of between 10%-15% to the bill in lieu of a tip and generally is clearly displayed. If in doubt, ask whether service is included. Tipping in pubs is generally not expected, with exceptions for table service; taxi fares are usually rounded up, incorporating a small tip. Non-EU citizens visiting the Republic of Ireland can apply for a refund of the value-added tax (VAT). VAT is not refundable on accommodation, car rental, meals or personal services. Many shops and department stores operate a system called "Cashback" enabling non-EU residents to collect rebates in the currency of their choice at Dublin or Shannon Airport on departure.
What I really liked about Ireland
I really appreciated the hospitality I received right from Shannon Airport to The Savoy hotel and all the business and tourist places I travelled around Ireland. I didn’t have any bad experiences at all. The vibrant streets full of happy people, the food and the culture.
Tourist places visited (Cliff of Moher)
I appreciate our tour of Ireland’s Cliffs of Moher with Post University MBA Program. The Cliffs of Moher is by far one of the most popular tourist destinations in Ireland, attracting over one million visitors each year! I found out 3 fascinating facts about the Cliffs of Moher;
It is the site of ancient Irish legends-Many folklore stories surround the cliffs of Moher. One famous one is about an unusual rock formation, at the most southerly point. It closely resembles a woman’s head looking out to the sea when viewed from the North. This is called Hag’s Head.
A nature spotting haven-This is a significant area of importance for bird species and is a specially protected area by Irish and EU legislation. It is a breeding site for over 30,000 seabirds and was classified as a Refuge for Fauna in 1988.
The cliffs boast celebrity status-As the dramatic backdrop for many movies, TV series, music videos and adverts, The Cliffs of Moher have become a recognizable landmark on the big screen. Some of the bigger and more recent movies filmed at the Cliffs of Moher include Harry Potter and the Half- Blood Prince, The Princess Bride, The Yank, Into the West and The Mackintosh Man.
Tourist Places visited (Galway)
In Galway, Ireland with my Post University Colleagues. The city's name ‘Galway” is from the Irish name for Abhainn na Gaillimhe which formed the western boundary of the earliest settlement. The city also bears the nickname "The City of the Tribes" (Irish: Cathair na dTreabh) because of the fourteen merchant families called the “tribes of Galway” led the city in its Hiberno-Norman period. We enjoyed interacting with the friendly people of Galway, the food was great and shopping was relaxing. I would absolutely hope to go back there again!Remembering My Ireland MBA Trip
Many people travel to Ireland for a glimpse of their Celtic history, my visit was part of my MBA Program with Post University however I must say that even though I went to Ireland through my school program but I also got to see a glimpse of the Celtic history. My experiences were extra ordinary because of Ireland’s jaw dropping paradise landscape. What picks them up again, and gets them gabbing till all hours, are Ireland’s people with their passion, warmth, friendly, personable and well spirited persona infused together with a great culture. Places we visited included business trips; Dell, Irish Parliament, Limerick Institute of Technology and Northern Trust. Famous place like: The Cliff of Moher, King James Castle, Galway and Dublin.
Made sure all my travel documents were in order; this is to include my passport and ID’s. All Americans 16 years of age and older are required to have a passport to travel to Ireland. According to the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade:”U.S. passport holders can stay in Ireland for a maximum of 90 days without a visa. If U.S. passport holders plan to stay longer in Ireland, a visa will be required.” I took time to educate myself about Ireland; learning about things like the city I was visiting, history, culture, values, customs, foods, laws, exchange rates, weather, business manners and methods, religious customs, communication styles and, corporate social responsibilities. Packed accordingly; since I was travelling in May In summer, the averages highest temperatures are between 64 and 68°F for May to July and warmest months, in Ireland are July and August. (“About Ireland”) I packed summer clothes and a few winter cloths and umbrella just in case. Confirmed all reservations. Double checked with your airline, school, hotel, to make sure everything is confirmed. Made sure I have itineraries and confirmation numbers with me. Planned for the time change. Ireland is 5 hours ahead of Eastern Standard Time (EST) and during most of October, Ireland is 4 hours ahead of EST.
Checked with the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) for a list of what is permitted to take on the airplane or into the boarding area and I was on my way! Transportation Security Administration Website: https://www.tsa.gov/
My perceptions about Ireland, people, and business before my trip
My perceptions about Ireland were all positive before travelling to Ireland. I had done my research and had some knowledge that Ireland has a rich culture, great place for business, beautiful scenery, amazing people, values relationships and having fun and have a play hard work hard mentality, values creativity and entrepreneurship and that they and that’s what I witnessed when I was there. They enjoy being creative; I particularly understood this fact when a representative from Limerick Institute of technology pointed out how creativity and entrepreneurship is encouraged and honored in Limerick.
Doing business in Ireland
The Irish economy is growing faster than any other economy in Europe. It has a vibrant, diverse and growing indigenous and multinational company base of which over 95% of active enterprises are SMEs. There is strong competitive business environment Ireland is the UK’s largest export market in food and drink and second largest in clothing, fashion and footwear which makes it very favorable in business. Most businesses open from 09.00 – 18.00hrs, Monday-Saturday. Thursday in Dublin and Belfast is late night shopping to 20.00/21.00hrs.I also found that there is a certain ease of doing business because regulations are not as tough as other countries. There is a strong entrepreneurial spirit were creativity and innovation is valued. Costs of property, staff and services is lower than running a business in a larger EU country. Ireland is the only country in the Eurozone where English as the primary language. It has a resourceful pool of young, educated, English speaking staff. There is Tax incentives for Intellectual property, Research & Development tax credits, capital allowances on IP, double tax treaty network, Capital gains exemption on sale of subsidiaries, 12.5% corporate tax rate, 0% corporate tax rate for SME businesses as an incentive for SME business for job creation. Managers are easily accessible to employees, and communication between employees and managers is often informal and participative.
Ireland is highly individualistic culture. In an organizational sense, this means that managers expect employees to take initiative and be self-reliant. Irish employees aim to be the best at what they do, and superiors respect their hard work and dedication. In return, they base hiring and promotions on merit, skill, and experience. Irish people value qualities such as competition, achievement, and success within their organizations and their everyday lives. The Irish are welcoming of fresh ideas and imagination. They enjoy being creative; have a mentality of “work hard, play hard,” and they believe in having fun and treating oneself.
Advice for home country personnel traveling to the country
Do your research before travelling, make sure you have a valid passport to travel and get plenty of rest before you travel because Ireland is on a different time zone; they are ahead by 5hours. Learn the culture; the Irish people are polite and they expect politeness back, take some euros with you even though they accept major credit cards but your bank does charge a certain percentage per transaction. Carry an umbrella with you because Ireland rains most of the time. Learn how the law works before travelling. The electrical current in Ireland is 220 volts, 50 cycles alternating current (AC)n which is different from the U.S so it’s a good idea to carry an adopter with you. Hotels and restaurants may add a service charge of between 10%-15% to the bill in lieu of a tip and generally is clearly displayed. If in doubt, ask whether service is included. Tipping in pubs is generally not expected, with exceptions for table service; taxi fares are usually rounded up, incorporating a small tip. Non-EU citizens visiting the Republic of Ireland can apply for a refund of the value-added tax (VAT). VAT is not refundable on accommodation, car rental, meals or personal services. Many shops and department stores operate a system called "Cashback" enabling non-EU residents to collect rebates in the currency of their choice at Dublin or Shannon Airport on departure.
What I really liked about Ireland
I really appreciated the hospitality I received right from Shannon Airport to The Savoy hotel and all the business and tourist places I travelled around Ireland. I didn’t have any bad experiences at all. The vibrant streets full of happy people, the food and the culture.
Tourist places visited (Cliff of Moher)
I appreciate our tour of Ireland’s Cliffs of Moher with Post University MBA Program. The Cliffs of Moher is by far one of the most popular tourist destinations in Ireland, attracting over one million visitors each year! I found out 3 fascinating facts about the Cliffs of Moher;
It is the site of ancient Irish legends-Many folklore stories surround the cliffs of Moher. One famous one is about an unusual rock formation, at the most southerly point. It closely resembles a woman’s head looking out to the sea when viewed from the North. This is called Hag’s Head.
A nature spotting haven-This is a significant area of importance for bird species and is a specially protected area by Irish and EU legislation. It is a breeding site for over 30,000 seabirds and was classified as a Refuge for Fauna in 1988.
The cliffs boast celebrity status-As the dramatic backdrop for many movies, TV series, music videos and adverts, The Cliffs of Moher have become a recognizable landmark on the big screen. Some of the bigger and more recent movies filmed at the Cliffs of Moher include Harry Potter and the Half- Blood Prince, The Princess Bride, The Yank, Into the West and The Mackintosh Man.
Tourist Places visited (Galway)
In Galway, Ireland with my Post University Colleagues. The city's name ‘Galway” is from the Irish name for Abhainn na Gaillimhe which formed the western boundary of the earliest settlement. The city also bears the nickname "The City of the Tribes" (Irish: Cathair na dTreabh) because of the fourteen merchant families called the “tribes of Galway” led the city in its Hiberno-Norman period. We enjoyed interacting with the friendly people of Galway, the food was great and shopping was relaxing. I would absolutely hope to go back there again!