Analysis of Communication in Ireland

Ireland is rich in folklore, music, storytelling, poetry, art, and architecture. Originally a Gaelic culture with polytheistic religious views, it has become predominantly catholic. However, they practice freedom of religion. Ireland originated the Halloween and St. Patrick’s Day traditions that have become the norm across a multitude of countries. Sports are another major part of Irish culture, including camogie, football, and hurling. Ireland holds many traditional ancient festivals to celebrate their customs. The Irish value family over work, so they arrange their work schedule around their familial needs. Understanding Ireland’s communication practices and identifying strategies to improve these practices will assist in creating a successful business model to place a company in this country.

            Ireland has an individualistic culture, so they are focused on themselves and their short-term relationships rather than the cultural group as a whole. The languages spoken in this country are Irish and English, with English being the predominant language. Chríost (2005) states that Irish-speaking communities constitute only less than 15 percent of Ireland’s population. The Irish culture values a good sense of humor, so joking with others is a common occurrence, while jokingly insulting others is a show of affection. The Irish use slang terms such as “slagging,” which means to tease, or “gobshite,” which refers to a funny person. Like most English-speaking cultures, Ireland is regarded as having low context, meaning that communication is explicit and direct, and low uncertainty avoidance, indicating a tolerance for ambiguity and a relaxed attitude towards rules and regulations (Samovar & Porter, 2016).

            Samovar and Porter (2016) state that the Irish saying, “Life is a dance, not a race,” shows their cultural views on pace. Unlike most English-speaking countries, the Irish culture is a polychromic society, which means that they value relationships and human interaction over strict adherence to schedules and deadlines. The Irish use eye contact and a handshake to show trust when greeting others. However, the Irish pride themselves in being polite, so pointing or snapping your fingers at others is viewed as rude and offensive in the Irish culture. Refusing to greet someone with a handshake after a hand is offered is seen as very disrespectful. Public displays of affection, including hugging, are not normal in Irish culture; they like to maintain an arm's length away from others and value their personal space in public settings.

            Ireland has been seen as a feminine culture throughout time, although in the beginning, it was with the negative connotations that Ireland needed to be governed by a masculine culture such as Britain; however, it became an important positive part of Irish culture using women as symbolic representations of sensitivity, brilliance, and turbulence (Stevens et al., 2000). In Irish culture, women tend to be more educated than men. The men in this culture are less inclined than the women to show physical affection in public. Ireland does have gender equality laws in place to deter discrimination.

            Business etiquette in Ireland requires a firm handshake and eye contact. The Irish comply with the hierarchy to show respect in business, but communication tends to be informal and personable. Punctuality shows respect to business cohorts, although Irish natives will be slightly late. The Irish people dress casually while maintaining modesty and making sure they are well put together, but a suit or dress with a jacket is proper formal business attire. Maintaining composure within a business setting is essential in Irish culture, as it means not showing any strong emotions or reveling in your successes because the Irish perceive it as arrogance. Aggressiveness in Irish culture is seen as impolite, and the Irish pride themselves on their polite nature.

            The Irish culture's polite nature often leads to an avoidance of inevitable conflict, which can escalate and become destructive. Dominating is viewed as aggressive and disrespectful in Irish culture. Therefore, it's crucial to teach when and how to engage in constructive conflict, and to show the benefits of dominating with assertiveness. Improving one's conflict skills, as Wilmot (2021) suggests, will enhance one’s life. In the workplace, maintaining consistent, clear, and concise communication is always beneficial. Setting up an internal communication plan that everyone adheres to will set a good standard for how everyone needs to communicate. Providing employees with intercultural communication knowledge will assist in better communication across different global branches when working together on projects.

            When bringing a global business into Ireland, it is crucial to maintain a rich culture and empathize with the strong values of the Irish. This can be demonstrated by respecting their traditions, understanding their communication style, and adapting your business practices to align with their cultural norms. Respect and empathy are key in all business interactions, especially in a culture like Ireland's. Setting up a good communication plan that respects these values will ensure a successful business model. However, it's important not to revel in this success to be perceived as arrogant, as this could cause a communication breakdown with the native Irish. Being knowledgeable of the ways the Irish communicate verbally, nonverbally, across genders, and through business etiquette will help ease tensions when starting a business in this country. Identifying strategies for improving communication will be effective for all parties involved in the global business while creating successful employees, in return, will create a successful business.

References

Chríost, D. M. G. (2005). The Irish Language in Ireland : From Goídel to Globalisation. Routledge.

Samovar, L. A., & Porter, R. E. (2016). Communication Between Cultures (9th ed.). Cengage Limited. https://purdueuniversityglobal.vitalsource.com/books/9781337521758

Stevens, L., Brown, S., & Maclaran, P. (2000). Gender, Nationality and Cultural Representations of Ireland: An Irish Woman’s Place? European Journal of Women’s Studies, 7(4), 405–421. https://doi.org/10.1177/135050680000700412

Wilmot, W. W. (2021). Interpersonal Conflict (11th ed.). McGraw-Hill Higher Education (US). https://purdueuniversityglobal.vitalsource.com/books/9781264164264