This report considers energy management and energy efficiency services which is a new sector that involves businesses involved in measuring and managing resource efficiency through a combination of ICT hardware (e.g. sensor technologies) and software, as well as consultancy and efficiency advice activities.

Some of the key findings from Q4: Less than one in five businesses (18%) reported an increase in sales in Q4 2011; Only 4% of businesses reported that they had increased the number of employees in the last quarter; Almost seven out of ten of businesses (69%) reported a moderate or severe impact from the Eurozone crisis. For more detailed findings, contact Dr Eoin Magennis on 028 3083 4165 (048 from Ireland).

Some of the key findings from Q3: A third (34%) of businesses reported that lack of finance for investment is constraining growth plans. Almost half (46%) of firms reported they were contracting, fighting for survival or winding up. Only 6% of businesses reported that they had increased employment in the previous quarter. In the past 14 quarters more businesses reported a decrease than an increase in their employment levels. For more detailed findings, contact Dr Eoin Magennis on 028 3083 4165 (048 from Ireland).

The report identifies where the different interpretation and application of environmental regulations in Ireland and Northern Ireland can create barriers to cross-border trade and business for SMEs. A series of recommendations are made to make easier cross-border compliance with these regulations.

The objective of the study is to identify new cooperative opportunities that can deliver mutually beneficial competitiveness gains to the agri-food industry in Ireland and Northern Ireland. The report shows the scale, productivity and significance of the agri-food sector both within the island and on a broader international stage. The main body of the report provides a detailed description of the proposed initiatives for cross-border cooperation that have emerged from the research and a summary of these proposals.

The key finding from the Q2 2011 Business Monitor is that there are some signs of improvement in company performance with 26% reporting an increase in sales. However, the recovery is sluggish, especially for small firms, among whom almost 1 in 2 describe themselves as ‘contracting’, ‘in survival mode’ or ‘winding up’.

This report highlights the challenges and barriers to GHG measurement and tries to identify opportunities that businesses can achieve from improved Carbon measurement. It gives an insight into what is being done by regulators and how businesses on the island respond to market pressure to measure and report their carbon footprint. Also the report looks at the effects of climate change, green house gases and emissions on business operations and products

It provides up-to-date and user-friendly, comprehensive information on questions regarding trade or business linkages in the other jurisdiction. This guide aims to help SMEs overcome some of the most commonly encountered regulatory barriers and also offers practical advice to those companies seeking to exploit new opportunities. The subjects covered by this publication, include legal considerations, taxation and banking issues among others.

This report provides significant baseline information on the growing environmental goods and services (EGS) sector, and identifies how the sector offers both Ireland and Northern Ireland potential for economic growth through the development of high-value ‘green collar’ businesses and jobs. In looking at the existing enterprise base, drivers of the EGS sector and international developments, the strongest possibilities for enterprise opportunities in a number of key sub-sectors are identified.

The Business Monitor for Q1 2011 found evidence that firms who are diversifying their products and services or into new markets are more likely to be weathering the storms of recession. The challenge now facing businesses is one of rising costs, especially energy bills, and this is putting extra pressure on those who cutting prices.

The Business Monitor for Q3 2010 found that the economy remained in a period of fragile recovery. This survey looked at the question of access to bank finance and found that only 16% of firms had asked their bank for new credit but that almost three quarters of these were successful.

The Business Monitor for Q4 2010 concentrated on the issues of the cost of doing business (against a background of rising input costs) and the supports to firms from government.

This report investigates the differences between North/South trade figures up to 2006 published by CSO, HMRC and DETI. It is a follow-up to the 2003 report which considered broadly similar issues. Since the 2003 report, however, there have been significant changes in the methodology applied to the HMRC data and increasing discrepancies between the different data sources have become evident.

The study provides a more comprehensive understanding of the dynamics of the public procurement market on the island of Ireland. In addition, it makes recommendations for mutually beneficial cooperative actions in the following areas: 1) The provision of supports to build company capacity and capability; 2) The identification and removal of barriers preventing the operation of an open all-island public procurement market; and 3) The use of public procurement to drive innovation.

The recent study of North/South trade flows by InterTradeIreland showed that trade is below that expected. This study goes further in exploring some possible explanations for this gap between expected and actual North/South trade. The two factors which have been looked at are the differences in the sectoral structure of the two economies on the island of Ireland and the level of foreign direct investment (FDI) in different sectors and how this affects trade patterns. Once these factors are taken account of the real gap between actual and expected North/South trade volumes is considerably closer.

Review of cross-border trade between the North and South of Ireland, with a particular focus on the food and drink sector. It includes recommendations targeted to address information deficiencies, barriers to trade and opportunities of development.

This paper develops a number of proposals to improve supply chains across the island of Ireland. It is based on a review of theory and practice and includes an analysis of agency activities in the area. The report has identified specific areas to improve competitiveness through increased collaboration in supply chain management, sub-supply and supplier development.

This working paper is one in a series of three such papers which look at all-island competitiveness issues in the areas of Information and Communications Technology (ICT), eBusiness and Skills. The general aim of the papers is to explore areas in which a shared vision and a commonality of purpose could lead to collaborative programmes offering genuine competitive advantage for both jurisdictions.

The Chamber E-Business Survey 2002 is one of the largest independent pieces of research into the take up of e-business among small and medium sized businesses in Ireland. It is intended to highlight the progress that has been made since 2001 and more importantly the obstacles that remain to the increased use of ICT which is critical to the competitiveness of Irish businesses.

This report identifies a latent demand for air flights between Northern Ireland and a range of locations in the Republic of Ireland particularly between Belfast and Cork/Dublin/Shannon. The current limited availability of cross-border air services is a significant gap in the range of transport facilities vital for the support of cross-border trade and business development, recreation and tourism. The report presents an overview of the financial viability of the most promising air routes and outlines the contribution of Public Service Obligation (PSO) support and interline traffic for sector viability.

Developing an understanding of trade flows within a North/South context is complicated by the existence of three official sources of statistics on trade across the shared border. Some confusion exists over fundamental issues such as the quantum of North/South trade flows, the balance of trade between the North and the South and the sectoral composition of such trade. This report clears the ground of the confusion that surrounds these basic issues, as far as is possible within current data collection procedures. It uncovers the definitional and methodological differences that account for the apparent inconsistencies between the three official data series and allows a reliable baseline indicator to be established against which future movements can be assessed.

This report recommended that the departments of education North and South construct a formal North-South qualifications exercise as a matter of urgency once the new Ireland and Northern Ireland frameworks became embedded.

The report highlighted differences in the performance of manufacturing sectors N&S this was as a result of the dominance of FDI in certain sectors in the South.

This report represents the first in-depth assessment of entrepreneurial activity on the island of Ireland. The report suggests that the differences in the extent, scope, and trends in entrepreneurial activity between Ireland and Northern Ireland may be due to differences in policy objectives and policy interventions; in the personal social context of the adult population (belief in skills to start a new business and presence of role models); in rates of informal investment in new businesses; in the general economic environment; and in the demographic profile of the population.

The aim of Entrepreneurship on the Island of Ireland in 2004 is to develop insights into the entrepreneurial environment on the island of Ireland and to recommend means by which a dynamic entrepreneurial environment can be developed throughout the island. The Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) Adult Population Surveys for Northern Ireland and Ireland have been merged to allow the island analysis to be undertaken.

This report analyses the entrepreneurial activity in Ireland in 2005 and compares it to that in other high income countries. It is also tracked over time to detect changes and the early emergence of trends. It also makes policy recommendations for an increased entrepreneurial activity on the island.

This report provides an overview of the extent, nature and intensity of cross-border business linkages among companies on the island in 2002. The findings were drawn from the cross-border survey of companies carried out on behalf of InterTradeIreland by the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) in Dublin. The main objectives of the survey were to: Define business activities within the island; define business operating problems on the island, define a perception of business problems and to provide a quantitative analysis of the export and import linkages. The report identifies synergies which could derive from cross-border trade.

The directory is a key business resource, providing a list of organisations that supply technical services across a range of sectors. The accredited services available from each organisation have been highlighted as the use of recognised standards and verifiable procedures provides for confidence in the safety, quality and environmental acceptability of products and processes. The directory contains information on the services of more than 140 organisations and covers many diverse technological fields.

This report presents for the first time a snapshot of the business networks and clusters on the Island of Ireland. It concludes that the incidence of networks and clusters is widespread and that significant numbers of companies are involved. The report identifies a total of 110 networks and clusters across the island - with participation drawn from close to 10,000 firms, 93 per cent of which are small or medium-sized enterprises. The report also identifies the key role that public sector agencies play in supporting the development of business networks and clusters, in both North and South.

This report provided 18 recommendations to improve company competitiveness through all-island collaboration. The key recommendation was the establishment of an all-island network to take forward the other recommendations from the reports, which were based around innovation, industry-academic collaboration, training and up-skilling, all-island benchmarking activity and best practice.

Study into the potential viability of a direct shipping service between the island of Ireland and North America deals with issues which are highly significant for the competitiveness of business in both parts of the island. The study examines the elements which would have to interlock successfully in order to deliver a direct shipping service which makes economic sense for both users and shippers and is sustainable.

The AIBCM resulted in seven research working papers focusing on key policy issues completed between May 2004 and October 2006 including: Innovation; Productivity and profitability; Factors which shape export performance; Comparative competitive performance of firms; Distribution of sectoral productivity; Factors behind cross-border cooperation; Spatial clustering and firm performance.

This report details investigative research into the management practices currently in use in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. The objectives were to: compare the levels of managerial skills with those in Great Britain and other countries; identify areas of weakness in the management practices of manufacturing firms; identify the factors that may account for the differences; indicate where targeted improvements could improve performance and investigate whether similar issues also apply in tradable services firms.

The aim of this study is to identify where differences in regulation impose a significant cost to businesses that wish to operate on both sides of the border.

This report aims to assess whether aggregate and sectoral cross-border trade between Ireland and Northern Ireland is at, above or below the expected level. As such the analysis provides a vital input into the formulation and targeting of policies to promote trade and business development on the island of Ireland.

This report provides an overview of the extent, nature and intensity of cross-border business linkages among companies on the island in 2002. The findings were drawn from the cross-border survey of companies carried out on behalf of InterTradeIreland by the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) in Dublin. The main objectives of the survey were to: Define business activities within the island; define business operating problems on the island, define a perception of business problems and to provide a quantitative analysis of the export and import linkages. The report identifies synergies which could derive from cross-border trade.

The aim of Entrepreneurship on the Island of Ireland in 2004 is to develop insights into the entrepreneurial environment on the island of Ireland and to recommend means by which a dynamic entrepreneurial environment can be developed throughout the island. The Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) Adult Population Surveys for Northern Ireland and Ireland have been merged to allow the island analysis to be undertaken.

The aim of Entrepreneurship on the Island of Ireland in 2004 is to develop insights into the entrepreneurial environment on the island of Ireland and to recommend means by which a dynamic entrepreneurial environment can be developed throughout the island. The Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) Adult Population Surveys for Northern Ireland and Ireland have been merged to allow the island analysis to be undertaken.

This report quantifies the numbers, the scale and a selection of other characteristics for the private biotechnology sector companies on the island of Ireland. It also examines their current collaborative contacts and their interest in developing greater collaborative linkages. The study involved the identification of the stock of ‘modern biotechnology’ companies on the island, i.e. those companies who predominantely employ the tools of modern biotechnology to provide products and services.

The focus of this report is to propose a vision for a knowledge-based economy which would place the island of Ireland in the forefront of the most advanced economies by 2020. This report seeks to indicate the trends in demand for people with engineering and information technology (IT) qualifications which will allow the target of reaching a ranking for the economy of the island in the Top 5 countries in the world to be achieved. This target is the benchmark against which the supply needs for engineers and IT specialists is assessed.

The focus of this report is to propose a vision for a knowledge-based economy which would place the island of Ireland in the forefront of the most advanced economies by 2020. This report seeks to indicate the trends in demand for people with engineering and information technology (IT) qualifications which will allow the target of reaching a ranking for the economy of the island in the Top 5 countries in the world to be achieved. This target is the benchmark against which the supply needs for engineers and IT specialists is assessed.

The report makes a number of recommendations as to how the universities on the island, North and South, might work together to strengthen and extend the capability of technology transfer services in the third level sector. The study looks at the potential for collaborative activity in the area of Intellectual Property (IP) management and technology transfer by the universities on the island of Ireland.

This paper outlines a number of broad proposals regarding North/South activities in Higher Education and Industry Cooperation. The objective of this research was to assist in the identification of specific areas of action to improve competitiveness through collaboration. The main recommendations resulting from the research are: 1) cross-border joint research, 2) research commercialisation and 3) skills development.

This report examines the strengths and weaknesses of the design sector and makes recommendations about how to build on those strengths in order to stimulate one small but important part of the economy that can create added-value to the economy as a whole.

This report presents, for the first time, a picture of a ‘knowledge island’ that is rich and diverse with a strong degree of complementarity between North and South. It also assesses the relationships between Research and Technological Development centres. The report concludes that collaborative activity on a cross-border basis is lower than what could be expected.
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The purpose of this baseline survey is to more precisely define the current status of commercialisation staff, skills, budget and other supports within relevant institutions across the island of Ireland. The paper is designed to inform debate on crucial commercialization issues.

This report looks at the two spatial strategies on the island of Ireland – the National Spatial Strategy (NSS) for Ireland and the Regional Development Strategy (RDS) for Northern Ireland, and suggests a framework of collaboration.

The purpose of the report is to identify and make recommendations on the long-term infrastructure which will be required in order to achieve world-class competitiveness for the island. Adopting a long-term perspective ensures that economic choices are made and avoids the risk of revisiting incremental decisions based on short-term pressures.

The purpose of the report is to identify and make recommendations on the long-term infrastructure which will be required in order to achieve world-class competitiveness for the island. Adopting a long-term perspective ensures that economic choices are made and avoids the risk of revisiting incremental decisions based on short-term pressures.

The study brings together recent and current research on how to realise the benefits of cross-border collaboration in the Newry-Dundalk sub-region through integrated planning and development strategies.

This study aims to understand the opportunities, constraints and key issues for freight on the island of Ireland. The study examines current freight flows throughout the Northern Ireland and Ireland and how freight moves between the both jurisdictions and GB, the rest of EU and the wider global economy.

Market report including information on trends, size, market value, and opportunities of the clothing and footwear sector from an all-island perspective.

Market report including information on trends, market value and opportunities of the fitted furniture sector on the island of Ireland. In this report, contract fitted furniture is wood based fitted kitchen furniture and bedroom fitted wardrobes that are part of an overall building contract – as distinct from individual consumer purchases.

Market report including information on trends, market value and opportunities of the office furniture sector on the island of Ireland. Contract office furniture is defined as new furniture, primarily wood based, that is supplied by either a manufacturer directly or through an agent or distributor as part of the fitting out contract for a new office development or a major rebuild and refurbishment.

Market report including information on trends, market value and opportunities of the domestic furniture sector on the island of Ireland.

Market report including information on trends, market value and opportunities of the giftware and jewellery sectors on the island of Ireland. The report includes information on glassware, pottery, tableware, ornamental china, knitwear and textiles.

Market report including information on trends, market value and opportunities of the hotel furniture sector on the island of Ireland. This report covers the new build and refurbishment hotel furniture market for bedrooms, dining rooms, restaurants, bars and reception areas.

Market report including information on trends, market value and opportunities of the houseware and soft furnishings sector on the island of Ireland. This report considers the following four categories in detail: soft furnishings, carpets, lighting mirrors and frames.

Market report including information on trends, market value and opportunities of the small kitchen appliances sector on the island of Ireland. This report addresses the following categories: 1) Small domestic electrical appliances (kettles, toasters, cookers and electric fires) and 2) kitchen tools (surface savers, cutting boards and lap trays).

The report aims to be a central point of reference for the construction sector, highlighting market trends, opportunities and barriers to development and cooperation in a cross-border context that exist or may potentially exist, for the benefit of both economies. A number of recommendations are proposed to help the industry realise its potential under the current economic conditions, aimed both at the private sector (for implementation at individual company level) and the public sector, to be executed by support organisations and other relevant government bodies.

This report provides an overview of the consumer market in Ireland, with a specific focus on the retail sector. The report covers three broad areas: 1) Economic trends that impact on consumer purchasing patterns and behaviour, 2) the changing retail marketplace and 3) strategic advice for manufacturers seeking to grow their sales in Ireland.

The report looks at the state of the furniture manufacturing sector on the island of Ireland and identifies the main issues that are affecting its growth and development. It highlights the opportunities for development available to the sector and makes recommendations to strengthen the foundations for higher levels of cooperation across the industry within and between Northern Ireland and Ireland. The report includes information on, market value and opportunities of the furniture sector.

In this report, the horticulture industry is described in terms of its economic value, capacity and employment. The review covers how the industry meets the challenges of the marketplace and offers a brief summary of the outlook for the future. The report highlights: 1) Market conditions, 2) Value of the horticulture industry, 3) Employment in the horticulture industry and 4) Outlook.

This report reviews the Clothing and Textiles industry in Ireland and Northern Ireland in the light of the substantial changes that have occurred in the local and global economies in the recent past. It seeks to understand the current state of the industry and its performance as well as to examine the trading environment within which the industry operates and to identify opportunities for growth and development. The report offers recommendations on how these opportunities of growth can be realised through enhanced north/south collaboration.

The microgeneration of the renewable energy industry on island of Ireland is composed of a variety of business types, each of varying size, and dealing with different technologies and applications of renewable energy such as solar photovoltaic (PV) systems, ground source heat pumps, or wood pellet stoves. According to the report, this niche sector has a real potential to become a large growth industry in the future, particularly as measures are taken to deal with higher energy costs, energy security and carbon emissions.

The report offers and overview of the sector highlighting the trends, issues, challenges and also the opportunities to develop cross-border trading of compost and technologies. The report highlights that if every household and business on the island were provided with a brown bin, up to 1.5 to 2 million tonnes of organic waste could be diverted from landfill and approximately 12,000 jobs could be created.

This report considers energy management and energy efficiency services which is a new sector that involves businesses involved in measuring and managing resource efficiency through a combination of ICT hardware (e.g. sensor technologies) and software, as well as consultancy and efficiency advice activities.

This report analyses the entrepreneurial activity in Ireland in 2004 and compares it to that in other high income countries. It is also tracked over time to detect changes and the early emergence of trends. It also makes policy recommendations for an increased entrepreneurial activity on the island.

The report identifies collaborative actions to address the competitive challenges facing both parts of the island and the economic problems that persist as a result of the border with these being pursued where they are cost effective and deliver all-island benefits.

The research shows the benefits of business networks both to the companies involved and to the wider economy. Engagement with business networks changes firm behaviour including, for example, joint bidding on contracts, purchasing materials on a group basis and collaborative research and/or design activities. Through these and other network-related activities the members have benefited from sales increases, greater cost competitiveness and enhanced innovative endeavour. It is important that supports for business networks and collaborative cross-sectoral approaches are geared towards delivering export market opportunities, enhancing productivity and innovation and developing strategically important sectors.