One of the things that I am most looking forward to during this trip is further expanding my understanding of international business and the culture that accompanies it. I am also looking forward to Ireland's local cuisine and seeing how it brings people together. -Danielle
I am looking forward to so many things on this trip to Ireland. I want to compare this trip to my trip from last time, with comparing my experiences in culture, business, and travel. I am excited to see new places and see if I recognize places I've been. -Carrie
I am looking forward to seeing a variety of businesses in Ireland. It will be interesting to compare business tactics used in Ireland to business tactics used in the United States. As a small business management major, I am most excited to tour the smaller business, such as Murphy's Ice Cream. I am also looking forward to seeing the various areas of the country and learning more about the culture. -Cassidy
My family spent some time in Belfast in Northern Ireland around 100 years ago, so I'm really excited to see some of the history there. Visiting and touring the various businesses and organizations we've got lined up is also something I'm looking forward to.
One of the things that I am most looking forward to is being able to experience Irish culture. I believe that experiencing other cultures and learning what other people value is extremely important to not just business, but in interacting with other people.
I am most looking forward to experiencing Ireland's culture, both in business and everyday life, as well as the country's unique beauty. I have Irish heritage, so I am excited to just soak up as much as possible!
I am looking forward to an immersive experience in Irish Culture and Business. It is always wonderful to get to know diverse perspectives from around the world, and challenge what you think you know.
My very first impression was made on the bus from the airport; it's so green and hilly here. I really enjoyed Newgrange, the ingenuity and magnificence of it all is astounding. Walking around downtown reminded me of every other downtown I've been in but with bigger, more intricate architecture. The food at the restaurant and the culture around alcohol are also different. Everyone smokes here, which surprised me. -Cass
Got to experience Irish culture in Belfast, after our trip to New Grange. It was nice seeing New Grange for a second time and relearning the history. My favorite part of the day was seeing Karen Wray and going out to an Irish pub. The music was amazing and it was fun to seeing the dancing and singing along with it.
I loved Newgrange & soaking in the countryside as well as learning about its very interesting history! It was so beautiful & green. Once we arrived in Belfast, I enjoyed getting to experience the food, drinks, & music! There was lots of art all over downtown, both professional & graffiti. -Kourtney
My first impressions of Ireland have been very interesting. I think it is a beautiful landscape filled with people with the wonderful “Irish accent.” I thought the tension between the Protestants and Catholics in Belfast was fascinating. I did not know about the “temporary” wall that was between the two religions placed in the middle of the city. There was a lot of history in the city of Belfast that I didn’t know. Also, I liked the Newgrange Mountain because the time that the light shines through the wall opening happens on my birthday. I hope I can win that lottery. ;) ~Wes
My first impression of Ireland was how green the countryside was and how much open space there is. I really enjoyed our first morning in Belfast and getting a better idea of Brexit and modern Irish history. It's been great to get a feel of the culture and I cant wait to see what the rest of the week brings. -Elena
Tuesday, May 13: Yesterday in Belfast, our guide shared a lot of interesting information with us. What did you learn on that tour that was most compelling or surprising to you?
I knew there had been a lot of conflict & tension between the British & Irish in the past, & that Brexit was probably bringing it up again. I had no idea that the separation had really continued for all these years. The ‘temporary’ peace wall was an eye opener. I also just really enjoyed getting to explore the whole city & learning so much history. -Kourtney
Tuesday Reply: I found that the wall between the Protestants and the Catholics in Belfast as a very interesting part of the country. I didn’t ever know anything about a wall that separated the two. We talked about Brexit in class, but actually going to the cite and being I. The middle of it in person was a lot different and I could sense the tensions that were held in that city. It was interesting to see it all in person.
Wednesday, May 14: We're here as a business course, and one of the characteristics that we have as Montanans is that we also rely heavily on tourism. What have you noticed about how Ireland manages (or capitalizes on) tourism? Do you notice anything here that might work in Montana that we aren't already doing?
I notice that Ireland is HUGE on their tourism. Danielle and I had a talk with an elderly Irish man sitting in the pub tonight and he is almost 76 years old. His philosophy was “why would I leave this country and travel the world if everyone else leaves their and travels here? I can meet them here.” He relies on the tourists to run his economy and his town and his relationships with other customs. Every town we have driven through has some sort of destination attraction or a gift shop. That right there shows what tourism is to Ireland as a country. Our own state is kind of the same way. We rely heavily on tourism for our economy as well.
The fact that tourism is such a big industry for Ireland was surprising to me at first. After experiencing it though, it makes so much sense. It’s a very small country with so much natural beauty that has people coming from all over the world to see - why not capitalize? There were multiple gift shops in every stop we made, some with the same merch, and I appreciated ones with their own twist. On top of that, there were tour buses & coaches consistently. There is a real entrepreneurial spirit in the Irish people to think of new & interesting ways to appeal to tourism & bring in a profit. Montana is so much like Ireland in the size & use of tourism as well, though not as much as a staple for families. It’s usually the community council or sort that market the destination.
Wednesday, May 15: Whew, we've had quite a few excursions over the last few days. Yesterday we saw the pottery shop in the morning, the ice cream shop in the afternoon, and then we went on to the distillery in Dingle. This morning we saw a castle, and then it was off to the races! So, students, what have you learned about small businesses in Ireland? What has impressed you the most, and why? And for Cass, why was today the best day of your life?
What I have noticed about small businesses in Ireland is that they are striving a lot of tourists to bring in their profit. It seemed as if most of the businesses were very willing to adapt and change for the consumers. They all seem to be very successful and use their own creative ways to have the best profit margin that they can. I was most impressed by the pottery. There is so much that goes into something that looks so little and easy. The lady mentioned that some pieces get handled up to 17 times before the finished product is complete. That is crazy!
The biggest thing I noticed about these small businesses was their scalability. The capacity that the pottery shop has been able to produce as much as they do now compared to the where they started was awesome. The other two businesses were much newer, but scaled in their own ways as well. Murphy’s ice cream started new locations to serve more communities as well as set up a separate location for production to have the capacity to meet the demand of more locations. The distillery had the struggle of young whiskey starting up, and unpopular vodka in Ireland, so they have the other location in the US where that product has a better market. I think the businesses’ overall ingenuity & will to succeed & make a difference in some way impressed me the most!
Thursday, May 16: Today was kind of a silly and fun day in terms of excursions. However, the Aviva stadium tour still had an element of business in it. Any thoughts and what you take away from how the stadium impacts the local economy or Ireland in general?
The Aviva Stadium definitely has an impact on the economy and the community. It hold up to 53,000 people, that’s is half the city population of Billings. That alone creates an immense amount of money and more than likely profits out. When these huge gatherings show up, the community is being surrounded with outsiders that is probably uncomfortable. I’m sure that most of the residents aren’t very happy when the time of events comes around during the year.
With Aviva, going into it, I thought that it would have an all around positive impact on the surrounding communities & the economy. I was so surprised that they were actually limited by the city for how many music events they could host per year. After hearing the toll that that amount of people can take on the surrounding communities & why they have to be so conscious. There are all sorts of benefits to the communities as well, but what surprised me were the other impacts. The amount of revenue that place has the capability to produce is so much with how many people they can accommodate to.
Friday, May 17: Today we went to DCU Alpha Campus and Talent Garden, and learned about Ryan Academy. Our hosts spent several hours with us explaining how Ireland is so supportive of start-ups, small businesses, and entrepreneurship in general. So what impressed you the most about what you saw and learned there? Why do you (or don't you) think it's so different in the US?
And finally, as our trip comes to an end, what was the best part for you? Did it meet your expectations?
At DCU, I was so impressed with how much they support the start ups & can provide so much insight as well. Th fact that they have supported some huge companies that are spreading all over the world was mind blowing & impressive. I think is different in the US because there is just so much more volume etc, logistical things, but I don’t see why there shouldn’t be these services like DCU provides all over the US.
This trip was grand! I can’t pick a favorite thing, but as much as we sat on the bus, I was so happy we got to cover so much of the country in such a small amount of time. Usually you go somewhere & only experience that one place; we managed to experience the whole country & learn from the rural small towns businesses as well as major cities. Very well rounded trip!
In the DCU programs, the most impressive thing to me was the fact that someone with a very creative and generous thought out business idea can come into a place and be mentored while trying to create their start up. Entrepreneurship is an extremely stressful and difficult thing when you don’t know things. But with the people on staff, the business creators really have a lot of mentors and people to look to for guidance. I think it’s different than the US because I’m not sure if the US has such things! I have never heard of something like this. I have heard of engineering schools doing some things like this, but not as a business school where they bring in well generated ideas and turn them into reality.
The best part of the trip was for sure Dingle. I really enjoyed the smaller town atmosphere and the business that we toured there. They are smaller businesses that seem to be striving in the positive direction. I liked the tourist atmosphere but also the little town feel. There was a lot of people, but nothing like Galway, Dublin, or Belfast. I really enjoyed it! I got everything I was expecting to out of it. I’m ready to go home!
Monday May 13 prompt: it was really interesting to actually learn about Brexit and how it is affecting the already tumultuous relationships in Northern Ireland. Having come here with no real knowledge of Brexit or the political atmosphere of Europe and the UK I felt more prepared for the remainder of our trip.
Tuesday:It's difficult to compare the tourism industries of Ireland and Montana because of many factors. The state of Montana's tourism is large based in recreation and natural attractions where as the nation of Ireland's tourism revolves more around culture and history. I don't think it's fair to compare the two markets, but one thing I did see a lot more of in Ireland was smaller niche markets (Emer mentioned "rent a sheep" for example) catering towards expectations and stereotypes of the local culture. While Montana offers dude ranch experiences and guided recreation I think the state could definitely market more into those types of experiences.
Wednesday: I think what has stuck out most for me is how rooted in history and tradition businesses in Ireland seem to be. Tourism obviously helps with this because people travel to Ireland to experience that culture. I think what impressed me most was the customer service. People at the businesses we visited seemed genuinely interested in giving customers a good experience.
Thursday: With the stadium employing up to 2,000 people on match days it clearly helps the local economy in terms of jobs, while also using matches and events to stimulate spending. Being the only international stadium in Dublin helps bring in business from around the EU and further, which I'm guessing helps the national economy, especially during high traffic events like the six nations tournament.
Friday: I'm not sure that what DCU Alpha or Ryan Academy are doing on their campuses is that much different than incubators and accelerators in the US do. In fact, most of the things discussed were things I've heard of in the states so I really don't think things are that much different or that the United States is behind in things like that. I would argue that we in the states are doing just fine and that there are many factors to consider in entrepreneurship, not just the resources on adjunct college campuses.
Overall, the trip was a great experience. I wish we had learned about international business during the class to have been prepared for our visits and that we had done less tourist-y things and done more to learn about the ways the US and Ireland interact with each other and with other countries in business. The trip was still enjoyable but it did not feel like we had been in a business class or were using concepts from our education during the semester or during the trip.
An fascinating discussion is value comment. I think that it is best to write extra on this matter, it won’t be a taboo topic however generally people are not enough to talk on such topics. To the next. Cheers Immigration to Australia
One of the things that I am most looking forward to during this trip is further expanding my understanding of international business and the culture that accompanies it. I am also looking forward to Ireland's local cuisine and seeing how it brings people together.
ReplyDelete-Danielle
I am looking forward to so many things on this trip to Ireland. I want to compare this trip to my trip from last time, with comparing my experiences in culture, business, and travel. I am excited to see new places and see if I recognize places I've been.
ReplyDelete-Carrie
I am looking forward to seeing a variety of businesses in Ireland. It will be interesting to compare business tactics used in Ireland to business tactics used in the United States. As a small business management major, I am most excited to tour the smaller business, such as Murphy's Ice Cream. I am also looking forward to seeing the various areas of the country and learning more about the culture.
ReplyDelete-Cassidy
I am looking forward to experiencing the culture and history in Ireland! Along with learning about the contrast between businesses.
ReplyDelete-Ryann
My family spent some time in Belfast in Northern Ireland around 100 years ago, so I'm really excited to see some of the history there. Visiting and touring the various businesses and organizations we've got lined up is also something I'm looking forward to.
ReplyDelete- Cass
DeleteI'm looking forward to experiencing international business practices and connecting with people from around the world.
ReplyDeleteOne of the things that I am most looking forward to is being able to experience Irish culture. I believe that experiencing other cultures and learning what other people value is extremely important to not just business, but in interacting with other people.
ReplyDelete-Marina
I am most looking forward to experiencing Ireland's culture, both in business and everyday life, as well as the country's unique beauty. I have Irish heritage, so I am excited to just soak up as much as possible!
ReplyDelete-Kourtney
I am looking forward to an immersive experience in Irish Culture and Business. It is always wonderful to get to know diverse perspectives from around the world, and challenge what you think you know.
ReplyDelete-Katie
Please share your first impressions of Ireland. You can include anything from "day 1."
ReplyDeleteI will try Thanks!
My very first impression was made on the bus from the airport; it's so green and hilly here. I really enjoyed Newgrange, the ingenuity and magnificence of it all is astounding. Walking around downtown reminded me of every other downtown I've been in but with bigger, more intricate architecture. The food at the restaurant and the culture around alcohol are also different. Everyone smokes here, which surprised me. -Cass
DeleteGot to experience Irish culture in Belfast, after our trip to New Grange. It was nice seeing New Grange for a second time and relearning the history. My favorite part of the day was seeing Karen Wray and going out to an Irish pub. The music was amazing and it was fun to seeing the dancing and singing along with it.
ReplyDeleteI loved Newgrange & soaking in the countryside as well as learning about its very interesting history! It was so beautiful & green. Once we arrived in Belfast, I enjoyed getting to experience the food, drinks, & music! There was lots of art all over downtown, both professional & graffiti.
ReplyDelete-Kourtney
My first impressions of Ireland have been very interesting. I think it is a beautiful landscape filled with people with the wonderful “Irish accent.” I thought the tension between the Protestants and Catholics in Belfast was fascinating. I did not know about the “temporary” wall that was between the two religions placed in the middle of the city. There was a lot of history in the city of Belfast that I didn’t know. Also, I liked the Newgrange Mountain because the time that the light shines through the wall opening happens on my birthday. I hope I can win that lottery. ;)
ReplyDelete~Wes
My first impression of Ireland was how green the countryside was and how much open space there is. I really enjoyed our first morning in Belfast and getting a better idea of Brexit and modern Irish history. It's been great to get a feel of the culture and I cant wait to see what the rest of the week brings.
ReplyDelete-Elena
Tuesday, May 13: Yesterday in Belfast, our guide shared a lot of interesting information with us. What did you learn on that tour that was most compelling or surprising to you?
ReplyDeleteI knew there had been a lot of conflict & tension between the British & Irish in the past, & that Brexit was probably bringing it up again. I had no idea that the separation had really continued for all these years. The ‘temporary’ peace wall was an eye opener. I also just really enjoyed getting to explore the whole city & learning so much history.
Delete-Kourtney
Tuesday Reply: I found that the wall between the Protestants and the Catholics in Belfast as a very interesting part of the country. I didn’t ever know anything about a wall that separated the two. We talked about Brexit in class, but actually going to the cite and being I. The middle of it in person was a lot different and I could sense the tensions that were held in that city. It was interesting to see it all in person.
DeleteWednesday, May 14: We're here as a business course, and one of the characteristics that we have as Montanans is that we also rely heavily on tourism. What have you noticed about how Ireland manages (or capitalizes on) tourism? Do you notice anything here that might work in Montana that we aren't already doing?
ReplyDeleteI notice that Ireland is HUGE on their tourism. Danielle and I had a talk with an elderly Irish man sitting in the pub tonight and he is almost 76 years old. His philosophy was “why would I leave this country and travel the world if everyone else leaves their and travels here? I can meet them here.” He relies on the tourists to run his economy and his town and his relationships with other customs. Every town we have driven through has some sort of destination attraction or a gift shop. That right there shows what tourism is to Ireland as a country. Our own state is kind of the same way. We rely heavily on tourism for our economy as well.
DeleteThe fact that tourism is such a big industry for Ireland was surprising to me at first. After experiencing it though, it makes so much sense. It’s a very small country with so much natural beauty that has people coming from all over the world to see - why not capitalize? There were multiple gift shops in every stop we made, some with the same merch, and I appreciated ones with their own twist. On top of that, there were tour buses & coaches consistently. There is a real entrepreneurial spirit in the Irish people to think of new & interesting ways to appeal to tourism & bring in a profit. Montana is so much like Ireland in the size & use of tourism as well, though not as much as a staple for families. It’s usually the community council or sort that market the destination.
Delete- Kourtney
DeleteWednesday, May 15: Whew, we've had quite a few excursions over the last few days. Yesterday we saw the pottery shop in the morning, the ice cream shop in the afternoon, and then we went on to the distillery in Dingle. This morning we saw a castle, and then it was off to the races! So, students, what have you learned about small businesses in Ireland? What has impressed you the most, and why? And for Cass, why was today the best day of your life?
ReplyDeleteWhat I have noticed about small businesses in Ireland is that they are striving a lot of tourists to bring in their profit. It seemed as if most of the businesses were very willing to adapt and change for the consumers. They all seem to be very successful and use their own creative ways to have the best profit margin that they can. I was most impressed by the pottery. There is so much that goes into something that looks so little and easy. The lady mentioned that some pieces get handled up to 17 times before the finished product is complete. That is crazy!
DeleteThe biggest thing I noticed about these small businesses was their scalability. The capacity that the pottery shop has been able to produce as much as they do now compared to the where they started was awesome. The other two businesses were much newer, but scaled in their own ways as well. Murphy’s ice cream started new locations to serve more communities as well as set up a separate location for production to have the capacity to meet the demand of more locations. The distillery had the struggle of young whiskey starting up, and unpopular vodka in Ireland, so they have the other location in the US where that product has a better market. I think the businesses’ overall ingenuity & will to succeed & make a difference in some way impressed me the most!
Delete- Kourtney
DeleteThursday, May 16: Today was kind of a silly and fun day in terms of excursions. However, the Aviva stadium tour still had an element of business in it. Any thoughts and what you take away from how the stadium impacts the local economy or Ireland in general?
ReplyDeleteThe Aviva Stadium definitely has an impact on the economy and the community. It hold up to 53,000 people, that’s is half the city population of Billings. That alone creates an immense amount of money and more than likely profits out. When these huge gatherings show up, the community is being surrounded with outsiders that is probably uncomfortable. I’m sure that most of the residents aren’t very happy when the time of events comes around during the year.
DeleteWith Aviva, going into it, I thought that it would have an all around positive impact on the surrounding communities & the economy. I was so surprised that they were actually limited by the city for how many music events they could host per year. After hearing the toll that that amount of people can take on the surrounding communities & why they have to be so conscious. There are all sorts of benefits to the communities as well, but what surprised me were the other impacts. The amount of revenue that place has the capability to produce is so much with how many people they can accommodate to.
DeleteFriday, May 17: Today we went to DCU Alpha Campus and Talent Garden, and learned about Ryan Academy. Our hosts spent several hours with us explaining how Ireland is so supportive of start-ups, small businesses, and entrepreneurship in general. So what impressed you the most about what you saw and learned there? Why do you (or don't you) think it's so different in the US?
ReplyDeleteAnd finally, as our trip comes to an end, what was the best part for you? Did it meet your expectations?
At DCU, I was so impressed with how much they support the start ups & can provide so much insight as well. Th fact that they have supported some huge companies that are spreading all over the world was mind blowing & impressive. I think is different in the US because there is just so much more volume etc, logistical things, but I don’t see why there shouldn’t be these services like DCU provides all over the US.
DeleteThis trip was grand! I can’t pick a favorite thing, but as much as we sat on the bus, I was so happy we got to cover so much of the country in such a small amount of time. Usually you go somewhere & only experience that one place; we managed to experience the whole country & learn from the rural small towns businesses as well as major cities. Very well rounded trip!
In the DCU programs, the most impressive thing to me was the fact that someone with a very creative and generous thought out business idea can come into a place and be mentored while trying to create their start up. Entrepreneurship is an extremely stressful and difficult thing when you don’t know things. But with the people on staff, the business creators really have a lot of mentors and people to look to for guidance. I think it’s different than the US because I’m not sure if the US has such things! I have never heard of something like this. I have heard of engineering schools doing some things like this, but not as a business school where they bring in well generated ideas and turn them into reality.
ReplyDeleteThe best part of the trip was for sure Dingle. I really enjoyed the smaller town atmosphere and the business that we toured there. They are smaller businesses that seem to be striving in the positive direction. I liked the tourist atmosphere but also the little town feel. There was a lot of people, but nothing like Galway, Dublin, or Belfast. I really enjoyed it! I got everything I was expecting to out of it. I’m ready to go home!
Bonus question! What are 3 stats that are evidence of the positive economic impact Punchestown had on their local community?
ReplyDeleteMonday May 13 prompt: it was really interesting to actually learn about Brexit and how it is affecting the already tumultuous relationships in Northern Ireland. Having come here with no real knowledge of Brexit or the political atmosphere of Europe and the UK I felt more prepared for the remainder of our trip.
ReplyDeleteTuesday:It's difficult to compare the tourism industries of Ireland and Montana because of many factors. The state of Montana's tourism is large based in recreation and natural attractions where as the nation of Ireland's tourism revolves more around culture and history. I don't think it's fair to compare the two markets, but one thing I did see a lot more of in Ireland was smaller niche markets (Emer mentioned "rent a sheep" for example) catering towards expectations and stereotypes of the local culture. While Montana offers dude ranch experiences and guided recreation I think the state could definitely market more into those types of experiences.
Wednesday: I think what has stuck out most for me is how rooted in history and tradition businesses in Ireland seem to be. Tourism obviously helps with this because people travel to Ireland to experience that culture. I think what impressed me most was the customer service. People at the businesses we visited seemed genuinely interested in giving customers a good experience.
Thursday: With the stadium employing up to 2,000 people on match days it clearly helps the local economy in terms of jobs, while also using matches and events to stimulate spending. Being the only international stadium in Dublin helps bring in business from around the EU and further, which I'm guessing helps the national economy, especially during high traffic events like the six nations tournament.
Friday: I'm not sure that what DCU Alpha or Ryan Academy are doing on their campuses is that much different than incubators and accelerators in the US do. In fact, most of the things discussed were things I've heard of in the states so I really don't think things are that much different or that the United States is behind in things like that. I would argue that we in the states are doing just fine and that there are many factors to consider in entrepreneurship, not just the resources on adjunct college campuses.
Overall, the trip was a great experience. I wish we had learned about international business during the class to have been prepared for our visits and that we had done less tourist-y things and done more to learn about the ways the US and Ireland interact with each other and with other countries in business. The trip was still enjoyable but it did not feel like we had been in a business class or were using concepts from our education during the semester or during the trip.
ReplyDeleteAn fascinating discussion is value comment. I think that it is best to write extra on this matter, it won’t be a taboo topic however generally people are not enough to talk on such topics. To the next. Cheers Immigration to Australia
ReplyDelete