This paper explores developments in industrial relations and Human Resource Management (HRM) in newly established (''greenfield'') companies in the Republic of Ireland as a means of informing the debate on changing patterns of industrial relations. In particular, the paper focuses on the issue of individualism as a key dimension of management approaches to industrial relations. It is based on an empirical study of management approaches to industrial relations using a data set of new firms established in Ireland in the period 1987-1992.