NZ Business back issues from March 2004:
A crash course in business success.(women in business course)(Advertisement)
Mar 01, 2004 ... Taking a small business course paid big dividends for Elizabeth Hammond. She was looking for a career change from teaching. At the same time, the family business was going through a growth curve. Husband Bill had run his own cartage firm, Hammond Transport in Upper Hutt, for 25 ...
A big year all round.(NZBusiness magazine has been sold to Adrenalin Publishing )(Editorial)
Mar 01, 2004; ... I have a feeling 2004 is going to be a very big year for New Zealand--both in terms of our national identity, our perception of ourselves and for our businesses. Don Brash has set feathers flying throughout the country and, whatever your political beliefs, it surely has to be ...
Smart moves up Dargaville way.(Notebook)
Mar 01, 2004 ... New Zealand's most iconic vegetable, the kumara, looks set to make a splash on world gourmet markets. Delta Produce Co-Operative in Dargaville, a cooperative of 22 kumara growers, aims to breathe new life into kumara growing by selling into the prominent UK supermarket chain ...
NZ governance best practice study.(Notebook)(comprehensive study into corporate governance standards. )(Brief Article)
Mar 01, 2004 ... Two of NZBusiness magazine's long-time columnists, Brian Meredith and Ashley Balls, are behind what is thought to be New Zealand's first comprehensive study into corporate governance standards. The study has been prompted by The Centre for Best Practice's concerns over the ...
Pithy thinking.(Notebook)(new branding is all about telling stories and dreaming dreams)(Brief Article)
Mar 01, 2004 ... Peter Biggs, the chairman of Creative New Zealand and managing director of ad agency Clemenger BBDO, says the "new branding" is all about telling stories and dreaming dreams. He told a recent Direct Marketing Association lunch that Rolf Jensen's book The Dream Society is all ...
Commercialising creativity.(Notebook)(Economic Development Association of New Zealand (EDANZ) Conference )(Brief Article)
Mar 01, 2004 ... "From Creativity to Productivity" is the focus of the Economic Development Association of New Zealand (EDANZ) Conference in Wellington on March 15-16. "The commercialisation of creativity is proving to be a vitally important growth factor in the development of all industry ...
Get your customs stuff ready.(Notebook)(New Zealand Customs Service is introducing new rules )(Brief Article)
Mar 01, 2004 ... New Zealand Customs Service is introducing new rules which aim to provide an acceptable level of assurance over the security of goods exported from or moving through New Zealand. From March 1 2004, no goods will be loaded for export without a Customs delivery order. All export ...
Fast growing steel building company.(Notebook)(Totalspan says it has grown from scratch to the point in just three years )(Brief Article)
Mar 01, 2004 ... In just three years Christchurch-based Totalspan says it has grown from scratch to the point where it now has 23 national outlets and 30 outlets in Australia. All 52 franchise outlets are locally owned and operated. The company, which is a subsidiary of Versatile Buildings--a ...
New awards.(Notebook)(new set of national awards has been established by Competenz)(Brief Article)
Mar 01, 2004 ... A new set of national awards has been established by industry training organisation Competenz to celebrate excellence in industry training and development. The Knowledge in Action Awards will recognise businesses that are committed to training and upskilling their workforce, and to making ...
Special offer to NZBusiness readers: meet business guru Michael Gerber.(Notebook)
Mar 01, 2004 ... American business author and mentor Michael Gerber is coming to New Zealand and readers of NZBusiness are being given an early opportunity to register for his seminar and workshop along with a special discounted price on the seminar. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The author ...
NZBdiary.(Calendar)
Mar 01, 2004 ... March 1-May 13 A national series of Small Business Days driven by the Ministry of Economic Development will take place around the country. They aim to celebrate the importance of small business to New Zealand and to foster a closer working relationship between small business and ...
THE KIWI EFFECT.(Brief Article)(Book Review)
Mar 01, 2004 ... THE KIWI EFFECT: BY LAWRENCE GREEN AND JENNY CAMPBELL (AVOCADO PRESS $34.95) This little book (with forewords by Peter Biggs--MD of Clemenger BBDO--and David Irving--CEO of Synergy International, along with an afterword by the Hon. Jim Anderton) says it aims to show readers that the answer ...
SLASH YOUR TAXEX NOW! THE TAX SAVERS' A-Z GUIDE FOR BUSNIESSES AND SELF EMPLOYED PEPOLE.(Brief Article)(Book Review)
Mar 01, 2004 ... SLASH YOUR TAXES NOW! THE TAX SAVERS' A-Z GUIDE FOR BUSINESSES AND SELF EMPLOYED PEOPLE: BY PETER SIBBALD (REED BOOKS $24.95). Peter Sibbald is a Christchurch-based chartered accountant and member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of NZ. This highly practical A-Z notes that the ...
THE PRESENT.(Brief Article)(Book Review)
Mar 01, 2004 ... THE PRESENT: BY SPENCER JOHNSON (RANDOM HOUSE NZ $29.95) A slim 104-page volume by the best-selling author of Who Moved My Cheese?, Spencer's latest book is described as another "simple yet insightful story of work ...
RE-IMAGINE!(Brief Article)(Book Review)
Mar 01, 2004 ... RE-IMAGINE! BY TOM PETERS (PUBLISHED BY PENGUIN BOOKS NZ UNDER THE DK HARDBACK IMPRINT, $55.00). Tom Peters is billed as the "most influential business thinker of our age" and his new book is purportedly a "challenge to radically rethink the way that we approach work and business". ...
A new science for finding the right employee? Choosing the right person for any job is critical. Here graphologist Klaas Hogenesch advocates the use of handwriting analysis to make sure that new staff member is everything they say they are.(Notebook)
Mar 01, 2004; ... In this day and age a company cannot afford to make a mistake when employing a new staff member and many employers are looking at less traditional techniques to help them make the right decision. As well as interviewing and CV/reference checking there is an age-old method which ...
A prosperous and innovative family business: Fishers Meats in Dunedin is 85 years old, but its management is constantly finding new ways to evolve and develop the company and its products.(Notebook)
Mar 01, 2004; ... "Dunedin made New Zealand with its money and its men" according to pioneer poet Thomas Bracken (who also wrote the words for God Defend New Zealand). Time and events caught up with the city but certain of the old traditions remain. One is the reputation for commercial honesty among the ...
The trials of finding private investment: despite creating a smart product, which is unique and potentially has a worldwide market, one Wellington-based company is still finding it tough to get the financial backing it needs.(Notebook)(Surveylab unveiled its unique, handheld GIS data capture device in September)
Mar 01, 2004; ... After two years of intensive R&D the creators of 'ike' (ike knows everything) are ready to launch on world markets. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] But right now, although the device is starting to sell in New Zealand, the company has been unable to attract the funding ...
How hot is the market for businesses? Like any asset a business is only worth what the market is willing to pay. But timing is important too and although the market is currently very buoyant that might be set to change. Elizabeth Light looks at the current state of the businesses-for-sale market and at how businesses are valued.(Lead Feature)(Cover Story)
Mar 01, 2004; ... Business sales have boomed in the past couple of years and prices have increased. While the rises aren't quite reaching the stratospheric heights seen in the residential and commercial property markets there have been substantial rises in some business sectors. Just how big they are is ...
Think like a Finn: Finland is an export-focused economy which boasts business achievements and a standard of living that is far superior to New Zealand's. So what can New Zealand businesses learn from the Finnish business model? Plenty, writes Liz Light.(Business Inspiration)(related article: could do better? )
Mar 01, 2004; ... I In all the good things that make businesses and economies prosper, Finland is years ahead. Finland has global superiority in education, R&D, design, ITC, infrastructure and in creating effective business clusters. And the benefits to business are obvious--its companies are ...
Don't be snookered by sneaky spywear: many popular computer file-sharing programs come bundled with spyware which gathers information about a person without his or her knowledge. Richard Batchelar offers some practical tips on how to avoid being spied on.(Business Technology)
Mar 01, 2004; ... What is "spyware", and why should small businesses be concerned about it? These persistent programs, which have proliferated rapidly in the past year, are sparking bitter protests, consumer alerts, and even legislation. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] If you value your ...
Turning your business around: if your business was failing--would you recognise the signs? And what would you do about it? Denis Orme provides practical ideas on rescuing a failing company and positioning it for success in the long term.(Business Development)
Mar 01, 2004; ... Consistently, over the past several years, there have been about 4500 New Zealand companies going into bankruptcy or liquidation each year and impacting on the lives of more than 30,000 New Zealanders. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] In my opinion between five to 10 percent of ...
What does an MBA really deliver? Each year around 1000 people undertake an MBA programme and for each and every one of them the experience offers something different. We asked seven recent MBA graduates to tell us what they gained from their MBA and, most importantly, how it has affected their working life.(Special Report / MBA Programmes)
Mar 01, 2004 ... Has your role changed since undertaking your MBA? Arrol: Was previously with Radius Health as operations manager. McCulloch: One of the most tangible benefits from undertaking an MBA has been in relation to the evolvement of my role, and that of my team's, to a ...
The real oil on car leasing: there has been plenty written about the benefits of a business leasing its vehicles instead of owning them, or of outsourcing the management of its vehicles. But what do the lessees really think?(Special Report / Car Leasing)(Henry Schein Regional)(GE Capital Systems.,)
Mar 01, 2004; ... Auckland businessman Garth Bradford says having someone else manage his company's 20 vehicles is all about convenience. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] "It's something we would never contemplate being responsible for, it's a huge capital outlay to own your own [fleet]." ...
Managing a management buy-out: the time could be ripe for a management buy-out of all, or part, of your company. Stephen Conder looks at the tax implications.(Business Taxation)
Mar 01, 2004; ... Recent improvements to the global economy are likely to provide ripe opportunities for experienced managers to achieve strong returns and corporate growth through management buy-outs (MBOs) or management buy-ins (MBIs). The consensus view appears to be that the United States ...
An intimate affair: if you really want to manage your customers you have to get to know them intimately first.(Special Feature / Customer Relationship Management)
Mar 01, 2004; ... An old friend was the local pharmacist in a small rural town in the 1960s, '70s and early 1980s. He knew each and every customer by name. He knew their likes and dislikes; the types of ailments that regularly dogged them; which perfume their wife preferred; and whose children were accident ...
Making friends and influencing people: Ralph Penning says there is more than one way to build relationships in offshore markets.(Independent Business Foundation)
Mar 01, 2004; ... It can be assumed that our capabilities as an exporting nation will be severely tested over the next few years. With doubts surrounding our ability to successfully negotiate a separate free trade agreement with the United States of America, New Zealand will need to put more emphasis on ...
Lining up the opportunities: Jon Mason, the chief executive of the Port of Tauranga, has a can-do attitude which is paying real dividends for the company's stakeholders. And his approach to business is also changing the paradigm for New Zealand's ports.(Light on Logistics)(Column)
Mar 01, 2004; ... "Some men see things as they are and say why, I dream of things that never were and say why not." This quotation from George Bernard Shaw is on Jon Mason's business card and on the cards of the people who work for the Port of Tauranga. It encapsulates Mason's approach to his job and is ...
Spam, spam and more spam: Brian H Meredith gets a tad pythonesque about spam.(Marketing Maestro)
Mar 01, 2004; ... Scene: A cafe. One table is occupied by a group of Vikings wearing horned helmets. Whenever the word "spam" is repeated, they begin singing and/or chanting. A man and his wife enter. Man: Morning! Waitess: Morning! Man: Well, what've you got? ...
Helping an emerging export industry? Ashley Balls wonders if over-zealous immigration officials may be hampering the lucrative foreign student market.(Issues with Balls)
Mar 01, 2004; ... Attempts to strengthen an industry undermined by global economic downturn, SARS, and unfortunate press coverage may also be being hampered by over-zealous immigration officials. Many reasons have been put forward to explain the current downturn in foreign student numbers coming ...