Northern Ireland's environmental industry: an examination of the eco-capital equipment producing sector

• Published in: Business strategy and the environment Vol. 8; no. 2; pp. 108 - 119
• Main Authors: Eaton, Martin, Stark, Tom
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Chichester, UK John Wiley & Sons, Ltd 01.03.1999; Wiley Periodicals Inc
• Subjects: Economic activity; Employment; Environmental protection; Green economy; Industrywide conditions; Manufacturing; Regional development; Regional planning; Strategic management; Ireland; British Isles, Northern Ireland; European Union
• ISSN: 0964-4733; 1099-0836
• DOI: 10.1002/(SICI)1099-0836(199903/04)8:2<108::AID-BSE192>3.0.CO;2-S

In common with much of the rest of the European Union, Northern Ireland has a small but important and expanding environmental industry. The region's ‘green economy’ employs almost 13 000 people and is projected to grow by a further 4000–6000 jobs by the end of the millennium. This article focuses upon one small‐scale sub‐sector–the eco‐capital equipment producers–and analyses their recent industrial performance in the context of current regional development/industrial strategy theory. Drawing on empirical survey, comment is made on the sector's employment characteristics, production sequences, market structures and business operating experiences. Based on this discussion, a series of suggestions is offered that could help central and regional government improve the performance of the industry, and, in turn, the economy of the region, still further. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment.