We had an early morning in Dublin starting with a tour of the Docklands with Dr. Kelly, and then right into a tour of the Google offices. It was a beautiful day so we got lunch and went shopping afterwards. I enjoyed the tours we had today because they gave a lot of information about the development of Ireland.
The major theme of Dr. Kelly’s presentation was Ireland’s quick transformation from old to new. Dublin has historically fallen behind in industrial development and education leading to a poor and monocultural country. Their growth was stunted but eventually they made changes that led to rapid economic growth. They experienced 200 years of development in a span of 20 years which led to many changes with business, people, and culture.
At the Docklands and the surrounding areas we were able to see effects of this rapid change because an entire area of the city had been built in a short amount of time. I have noticed this new development often while in Dublin. There are many headquarters and office buildings of large companies in the city. There is also constant construction and much of the city looks new and advanced. Dublin is also more culturally diverse than I was expecting because there are people from all over the world living here. This is likely a result of the expanding business environment and the need for workers. However, they have made some efforts to preserve Irish culture, so the old Ireland is still present, with many of the old buildings and businesses still there. I like how it is such a unique combination of old and new.
Going to Google after hearing about Dublin’s rapid change was fitting. The 9 Google buildings in the area are a direct result of their economic development. I enjoyed touring Google because there seemed to be a positive environment. They talked about all the benefits they get working there, including free food, workout classes, and support in pursuing their passions. They talked about the competitive and collaborative environment and the diverse group of people that work there. I would like to work at Google because they have a great company culture and they support healthy work-life balance. However, at a company like this I would definitely need to make efforts to create a life outside of work. With all their benefits they make it easy to spend a lot time at the office and build your network in the office. This is great to keep their employees happy, but it can also pull you in and make Google your whole life. I think Google would be a cool place to work if I created a strong personal life in my city, outside of work.
Overall, it was definitely worthwhile learning about the company, considering Google is something I use every day and will definitely be a business I interact with in the future. I enjoyed the tour and the site visit, and I am excited to learn about other businesses in Ireland.