Constructing and disrupting Ireland's industrial development authority

Abstract

Actor-network theory is considered to have great potential for broadening and deepening our grasp of institutional work (LAWRENCE; SUDDABY, 2006). Given its focus on process, ANT offers a means to breathe life into the practices associated with institutionalization. With Callon's (1986) four moments of translation as analytical lens, and with Ireland's Industrial Development Authority as empirical example, I seek to address the concerns of Clegg and Machado da Silva (2009) by reconsidering "the role of agency, power, persistence and change in the process of institutionalization".

Dangerously empty? Hegemony and the construction of the Irish entrepreneur

“…As noted earlier, such practices always occur within a particular over-riding symbolic code (Laclau and Mouffe, 2001;Zizek, 1989). It appears that market logics formed such a code in Ireland during the period studied, and this observation is supported by other commentators that have noted Ireland's successive moves towards increasingly neoliberal economic policies over the previous 20 years (Donnelly, 2010;Murphy, 2006: 298). These manifest in, for example, preference for 'light-touch' regulation (O'Hara, 2011: 10) along with prioritization of free trade (Kirby, 2010: 91).…”

Understanding Policy Change Using a Critical Junctures Theory in Comparative Context: The Cases of Ireland and Sweden

“…The Industrial Development Authority (IDA), established in 1949 to encourage indigenous industries, initially opposed Ireland's participation in the general liberalization of trade in Europe. However, experience was to alter the IDA's attitude and it began to act as a “policy entrepreneur,” recognizing that “export‐led industrialization was the only way to develop the Irish economy and foreign investment as a source for such industrialization” (Donnelly, 2007, p. 144). Córas Tráchtála Teoranta (CTT, the Irish Trade Company) was established to promote exports to North America.…”

“…The alterations to protectionism contradicted its intellectual coherence. The protectionist policy matrix, consisting of a range of legislation (the Control of Manufactures Acts, special import levies, and customs duties), was fraying (Donnelly, 2007, pp. 149–50).…”

“…Fianna Fáil won the election due to the state of the economy ( The Irish Times , 1957b, p. 9). Lemass became Minister for Industry and Commerce and “on his return to office began the process of opening the state to foreign investment” (Girvin, 1994, p. 125), a process tentatively in motion under the predecessor coalition government (Donnelly, 2007, p. 140ff).…”

“…The overarching protectionist policy endured. These moves represent learning effects, an effort to make protectionism work (Donnelly, 2007, pp. 150–51).…”