Product details

The case relates to a ''local entrepreneur'', Liam Ryan who, over twenty years, has established a series of separate business ventures ranging from retailing through recreation/tourism, including ''The Stroller Inn'' development in Ballyneety, Co Limerick, to high technology products, superabrasives and a revolutionary electronic product - the ''memory'' torque wrench with digital readout. A unique feature is BBV''s emphasis on R&D. Liam Ryan utilises spare design capacity and expertise by winning valuable external contract work. The case provokes the question ''what inspires ''home town'' entrepreneurs to develop their business further''? Do they feel a moral commitment to the welfare of their local community, such as at Ballyneety? Additionally, it could be asked, legitimately, how can an entrepreneur like Liam Ryan control, effectively, a wide diversity of operations like BBV? A major issue within the case is the capacity of an Irish SME to exploit an R&D headstart in competition with world leaders in the field.