An Exploration by Way of Introduction
Design and the Having of Designs in Ireland
in Anthropology in ActionSearch for other papers by Adam Drazin in
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Ireland, both North and South, has gained international prominence in recent years for the startling economic transformations it has achieved. Many governments study the example of the Republic of Ireland and attempt to learn the recipe of the ‘Irish Model’ in which, as implied in the quote above, technology and design play a part. Key elements in the narrative of Irish national transformation are manufacturing and processing plants, established by companies whose names evoke the feeling of a contemporary hi-tech global zeitgeist. Microsoft, Intel, Hewlett-Packard, Rank Xerox and others, all have major plants for their core products, which can roll off a production line but are intricately engineered. Several of these companies have also established head offices in Ireland, overseeing European operations. Dublin has therefore become an international leader in hi-tech components, software engineering and pharmaceuticals.