Management development report released

The Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Mary Coughlan today launched the report by the Management Development Council entitled Management Development in Ireland.

The Tánaiste welcomed the report and said that it represented an 'important contribution to the management development agenda'. The Tánaiste emphasized that 'the SME sector is one of the key drivers of the Irish economy. This report highlights the necessity of ensuring that SME managers are equipped with the appropriate skills to overcome the critical challenges posed by the current recession and to participate in our development into a Smart Economy.'

'I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of the MDC members for the time and dedication which they devoted to the Council.'

The Report outlines that enhanced management skills can help the Irish economy to return to growth, reduce firm failure rates by half, boost employment and productivity, and restore international competitiveness.

The Council also suggests that improvements in the average management performance of Irish SME managers could yield returns of up to €2.5 billion to the economy (through increased turnover/sales).

Professor Frank Roche, Chairman of the MDC, outlining the importance of management development commented, 'Ireland at present is confronted by numerous challenges – the need to restore international competitiveness, the need to boost employment, and the need to sustain business through the current recession. The ability of our SME managers will be a fundamental determinant of whether Ireland can meet these challenges and progresses over the next decade.'

'I would like to see an increased level of participation in management development among SME managers, particularly from companies, which to date, have not engaged with either the State or with private providers. It is only by engaging with these hard to reach enterprises that Ireland can significantly improve our overall management performance.'

The Report is available at www.managementdevelopmentcouncil.ie.