Multinational Subsidiaries - The Four Bridges

When you are running a multinational subsidiary, you start it, staff it and scale it. Day-to-day activities occupy the bulk of your attention. It is absolutely correct that you should concentrate on this – it is what you were tasked to do.

You can enhance this single-minded focus by addressing the other aspects that are crucial to the long-term sustainable success of your enterprise. I call them “The Four Bridges”.

Why the European Commission Apple decision IS significant for policy and behaviour

In August 2016, the European Commission issued a final decision in its investigation into the way Apple paid tax in Ireland. The sheer scale of the decision was dramatic and made headlines around the world. In the aftermath, analysts said that the ruling was limited to the specific facts around the Apple case and would not apply to other international companies in Ireland.

This may be true, but the reality is that this case is a significant wake-up call. It is an indication of a much larger issue.

The case for commercialization

I was asked to write an opinion piece for Ireland's Sunday Business Post with the title "Working smarter, not just harder" making the case for IP commercialization a key element of the Smart Economy strategy.

The edited version is a bit sanitized, but the main message gets through.

As always, I welcome and enjoy your feedback.

The missing ingredient in Ireland's Smart Economy Strategy

My two passions are intellectual property and Ireland, the land of saints and scholars. I believe that IP has a role to play in Ireland's future development.

Below is the text of my opinion piece that appears in the current edition of "Business & Finance" magazine (used with permission).