The book addresses the question of whether in an age of internationalisation and globalisation
cultural differences are still relevant to German-Irish corporate relationships? The first
three chapters establish the theoretical framework for the analysis by exploring the notion of
culture profiling the business cultures of both countries and examining existing approaches
to the study of parent company-foreign subsidiary relationships. In the following three
chapters using interviews carried out with two sample groups (fifteen German parent companies
and fourteen of their Irish operations seven Irish parent companies and nine of their German
operations) the parent companies in both groups are examined to see whether they demonstrate
characteristics which are in keeping with their national business cultures. Their foreign
operations are then analysed as is the parent company-foreign subsidiary relationship to
determine whether any parent company influences are visible. The general approaches adopted by
the two groups of parent companies to their foreign operations are compared and contrasted.
Finally differences in national attitudes and values are identified and their impact assessed.
