In preparation for your site visit to Microsoft Ireland, the short video reflects several of the points that Professor Darren Kelly made regarding the business environment in Ireland (and specifically Dublin) being a great setting for expansion into Ireland and Europe due to the combination of strong employee talent, favorable corporate taxes and the promise of a strong economy over time.  Based on your quick review of the YouTube video on Microsoft in Ireland, identify one commercial opportunity and one commercial challenge they are addressing at Microsoft Ireland.

Finally, acting as members of consulting teams that might choose to write a group paper about the commercial opportunities and challenges connected to Microsoft targeting Ireland as a destination for commercial development, what specific questions do you have about the business model for Microsoft Ireland that relate to our course material (Triple Bottom Line and sustainability, market segmentation, maximization versus shared value, etc.)?  Give us a specific question for tomorrow’s visit.

One of the main opportunities for Microsoft Ireland is the availability of collaboration with different tech companies within the Dublin area. As the tech hub of Europe, the region has attracted hundreds of multinational tech groups. Microsoft’s location within this environment is conducive to collaborations that may give them a leg up on their competitors.

A major challenge for Microsoft Ireland is the upcoming Brexit outcome. It is widely accepted that the UK will take a massive economic hit, so the sales portion of MI must handle the loss of business. Being an American company in Ireland, MI likely have a large consumer base in the UK due to proximity and language. Therefore, the Brexit recession will pose a challenge to them.

I will ask Microsoft why it runs the departments that it does in Ireland. I also wonder how their physical structure compares to Google. I’ll also inquire about partnerships they’ve sought in the Dublin market space.