For the past two decades Ireland has sought to create a competitive market economy as the foundation for economic growth and social development. It represents both an example of high achievement in terms of economic growth and a cautionary tale on the difficulty of ensuring that development is sustainable.
The state has adopted a policy of progressive ecomomic liberalisation while seeking to mitigate the negative social impacts of globalisation through the creation of a 'developmental welfare state'. However, the path to such a state is not clear.
Competing in an Uncertain World looks at the choices and constraints influencing public policy as the state seeks to manage the process of institutional change, move beyond crisis management and achieve the goals of the developmental state.
Competing in an Uncertain World will be of interested to students of economics and politics in modern Ireland and, more broadly, to anyone with an interest in Ireland during and after the 'Celtic Tiger' period.