Doing Business in China: The Irish Experience

The UCD Confucius Institute for Ireland has made significant achievements in a research project, which attempted to examine the role and impact of cultural factors on the success of the Irish business in the Chinese market. The project, the culmination of two years of work by a team, was funded by Hanban, the Irish Government and the CRH Group, an Irish Fortune 500 multinational company that has a significant presence in China.

The research team carried the first nation-wide survey research ever conducted among Irish companies, enterprises and universities.The survey data came from 117 respondents out of 600 questionnaires and 28 interviewees located in both countries. The major report, titled "Irish Business in China - Meeting the Inter-Cultural Challenges", was launched in October 2009 and received a high degree of attention and praise in Ireland at the premier meeting of the Ireland China Association for that year. At that meeting it was commented that the research provides an invaluable experience and guidance for Irish people who are doing business in China, or are considering doing so.

Following positive feedbacks from the report, Blackhall Publishing, an Irish publisher, published it as a book titled "Doing Business in China, the Irish Experience". The book has been displayed in the Irish Pavilion of Shanghai Expo since it opened in May 2010. When the Irish President, Mary McAleese visited Shanghai Expo on the Irish Pavilion Day, 17th June 2010, Dr Liming Wang, Director of UCD Confucius Institute for Ireland and Irish Institute for Chinese Studies at UCD, presented the book to the President and she received it with pleasure.