BUSINESS must play a bigger role in setting the national agenda, according to IBEC's director general. Introducing IBEC's new strategy document for the next 10 years, Mr John Dunne said businesses had too often been "takers rather than makers".
The employers' organisation has put competitiveness at the centre of its new strategy, published yesterday. The plan sets a target of nearly 80 specific actions which it believes could help meet its objectives.
The document puts forward what IBEC sees as the business agenda, stressing the importance of competitiveness, emphasising the necessity to reward enterprise and calling for more focused support from Government.
"The pursuit of profit by business and the raising of national living standards and quality of life are mutually dependent," it says.
IBEC was formed through the merger in 1993 of the Confederation of Irish Industry and the Federated Union of Employers.
Mr Dunne said the strategy document will be reflected in the way the organisation conducts its business and responds to what we think is a changing Ireland.
"Perhaps more than ever before, the well being of business and of wider society are interdependent", according to Mr Dunne.
While business must have regard to the needs of other constituencies "unless the public and its opinion leaders value and encourage business, everyone will be poorer." Business is in a key position in society and we have a fundamental interest in and responsibility for exercising leadership.
IBEC argues that the ability to compete is the single most important priority for national prosperity. Competitiveness covers a whole range of areas including pay, productivity, innovation, education, marketing, design and costs, it says.
Ireland must create an environment that encourages enterprise, rewards work and makes it more attractive for the individual entrepreneur to take risks.
IBEC makes a case for a smaller role for Government, saying every activity it conducts should be examined to see if US operation as a public service is the most efficient option.
IBEC contends that where viable alternatives exist the State should not be responsible for the provision of commercial services. The document also calls for a "broader vision" of national performance. In the past, we tended "to base our thinking and perspective on comparisons between Ireland and Britain", it says.
This has been changing due to the country's EU involvement and participation in the new global business environment. IBEC says the country must constantly take a global perspective, on performance.
The document also deals with education and training, Ireland's EU membership, research and development and sectoral and regional policy.
It says that particular emphasis must be placed on the services sector which has been relatively neglected up to now and which has vast potential for employment growth and wealth creation.
