Posts tagged ‘Cover story’
Cover story: Harnessing the power of open innovation
Wednesday, October 6th, 2010Innovation is vital to the competiveness of the Northern Ireland economy. Owen McQuade met with PA Consulting’s Charlie Henderson to discuss how local organisations can harness ‘open innovation’ in these difficult times. Charlie Henderson believes that the current high degree of uncertainty around the economy – “are we in recovery or are we in a double-dip?” – is delaying important investment decisions and that this is hurting Northern Ireland’s competitiveness. “We must avoid competing in commodity marketplaces where product and service are produced more cheaply...[full story]
Cover story: Esmond Birnie – a clean sheet for public spending
Monday, September 6th, 2010PwC’s Chief Economist, Dr Esmond Birnie, met with Owen McQuade to discuss the prospects for the local economy and what the Executive should do now. Hard questions must be asked about the purpose of government and any new jobs must create wealth. Looking at the short-term prospects for the local economy, Esmond Birnie sees the province’s economic plight as “the classic glass; half-full or half-empty”. The recovery is looking mixed but he does not see this as indicating a double-dip recession. “This year as a whole will see positive growth but it will be lacklustre,” Birnie...[full story]
Cover story: Colleges look to the future
Friday, July 9th, 2010Leading representatives from Northern Ireland’s six colleges discuss the future of further and higher education, and highlight its importance to economic development. The College STEM Initiative (CSI) is the colleges’ main initiative to encourage learners into careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics and building those skills is their main priority. What will be the consequences for the colleges after the UK Budget? Brian Doran We have to see the outworking of the Budget and how it translates into decisions made by the Executive here. For colleges it will be down...[full story]
Cover story: A new era
Monday, May 10th, 2010Siemens’ energy chief Gary O’Callaghan explains the energy company’s vision for Irish electricity to Owen McQuade, pointing out how the island can practically fit into the new electricity age which has already begun. The era of the new electricity age is dawning and Ireland must make its mark. We can “just” do enough to meet our CO2 targets, or we can go further and become a net exporter of energy, states Gary O’Callaghan. Siemens’ Head of Energy Sector sees the UK’s potential energy shortage in five years’ time as a real opportunity for Irish renewables and also predicts...[full story]
