2013-05-03 09:39:58 // Esther Goh
// The Idealog Blog
The battle lines have been well and truly drawn in the wake of Labour and the Greens' power policy, which would set up NZ Power, a national electricity-buying agency they say would save hundreds of dollars a year on power bills.
2013-04-09 10:26:17 // Jacqueline Rowarth
// The Idealog Blog
Leadership qualities can be innate – but can also be fostered in the right environment. For the future prosperity of New Zealand agriculture, a collaborative approach that identifies and develops a wide range of leaders will be vital.
2013-04-02 11:23:01 // Mike Hutcheson
// Idealog #43: workshop
| 3 comments
Paying CEOs exorbitant salaries for paper pushing is not only unfair, it's also unsustainable.
2013-03-26 09:36:42 // Ian Proudfoot
// The Idealog Blog
| 1 comment
New Zealand’s primary industries can learn from the success of the Olympic Games in developing collaborative behaviours to deliver a more successful future for our vital agribusiness economic sector.
2013-03-21 10:18:12 // Shaun Hendy
// The Idealog Blog
| 1 comment
If I asked you to place a value on a car, you might well go to Trade Me and see what cars of that particular make, model and year were selling for. Unfortunately, it turns out that scientific knowledge cannot can be valued this way.
2013-03-20 13:25:35 // Esther Goh
// The Idealog Blog
| 1 comment
It’s been 10 years since a government taskforce set out a lofty plan to turbocharge the New Zealand biotech sector, including a fivefold increase in core biotech companies to 1,000 and lifting biotech export value to $1 billion a year. But has the industry managed to hit those targets? And if not, what's holding it back?
2013-03-14 11:55:10 // Eric Crampton
// The Idealog Blog
| 2 comments
New Zealand has one of the world's cleanest tax codes. It typically aims to avoid distortionary effects.
2013-02-26 09:50:16 // Gareth Renowden
// The Idealog Blog
A loose affiliation of New Zealand’s great and good will launch an appeal to Parliament next week, asking for a dispassionate and non-partisan risk assessment of the “unprecedented threats to our collective security” facing the country as a result of climate change, fossil fuel extraction and economic uncertainty.
2013-02-25 09:46:06 // Dwight Whitney
// The Idealog Blog
| 1 comment
Beware of ‘geeks’ bearing gifts; the Trans Pacific Partnership could let GE in through the back door.
2013-02-05 10:09:21 // Vaughn Davis
// The Idealog Blog
| 1 comment
The great Kiwi business dream isn’t to build something of lasting value, but to build something good enough for someone overseas to buy.
2013-02-01 10:06:03 // Idealog
The latest update to The Economist's Big Mac Index (a light-hearted guide to purchasing power around the world based on the local price of a Big Mac) has found that the New Zealand dollar is almost perfectly valued against the US dollar.
2013-02-01 09:48:15 // Jacqueline Rowarth
// The Idealog Blog
We already have a wealth of knowledge and experience in the sector; we don't have to wait for the next generation for great things to happen.
2013-01-25 09:56:49 // Owen Poland
// The Idealog Blog
The Prince of Wales has often been ridiculed for his supposedly 'wooly thinking' on the environment, spiritual meaning, and holistic medicine. But his support for actual wool is unquestioned and, far from being sheepish about the royal endorsement, the industry is loving it, says Owen Poland.
2013-01-18 11:12:49 // Pattrick Smellie
// Idealog #42: workshop
| 1 comment
Getting this tree-hugging country's populace along for the resources ride will require finesse.
2013-01-18 10:11:38 // Ian Proudfoot & Paul Kiesanowski
// The Idealog Blog
The depth and diversity of Canterbury’s production means that a strong primary sector in the region is critical to the whole country delivering on its growth ambitions.
2013-01-16 09:29:45 // Idealog
Economic activity surged in the December 2012 quarter to its best level since mid-2007, according to the latest NZIER Quarterly Survey of Business Opinion, and businesses are feeling optimistic about the year ahead.
2013-01-14 15:16:09 // Owen Poland
// The Idealog Blog
They were the best of times for meat prices, but by the end of 2012 they were the worst of times, with losses all around for a sector struggling to keep its earnings consistent. Are contracts between farmers and processors the key to consistency, asks Owen Poland?
2012-12-20 11:15:14 // Catherine Beard
// The Idealog Blog
Making products in New Zealand is vital to a healthy economy. But reports of a manufacturing crisis are grossly exaggerated.
2012-12-07 12:18:24 // Sergio Formas
// The Idealog Blog
| 1 comment
Innovation is one of the main drivers of economic growth, but the OECD ranks New Zealand as a poor performer in this regard.
2012-12-03 10:00:10 // Idealog
| 2 comments
Fonterra shareholder fund units listed on the NZX today at $5.50 but quickly rose by more than a dollar, with the first trade going through at $6.66.
2012-11-27 10:10:44 // Alireza Tourani-Rad
// The Idealog Blog
What effect have insider trading regulations, including criminalisation, had on the NZX?
2012-11-20 10:43:19 // Idealog
A new unit within the Ministry for Business, Innovation and Employment will be tasked with boosting Maori economic outcomes through a greater focus on financial literacy, education, a plan to improve Maori land productivity and a new Maori-oriented investment fund.
2012-11-15 11:06:39 // Josh Martin
Green growth advocacy group Pure Advantage has launched a significant new report on attaining balanced green growth in a world awash with ‘green washing' and failing to act would amount to "economic treason", according to one commentator.
2012-11-12 11:19:54 // Ian Proudfoot
// The Idealog Blog
We have, for far too long, relied on luck, one-off innovation and past investment to create the products and deliver the productivity we enjoy today.
2012-11-07 13:22:50 // Matt Nolan
// The Idealog Blog
| 1 comment
I’m a little perplexed to see Gareth Morgan come out railing against the Productivity Commission’s report on the housing market.
2012-10-25 16:50:50 // Dita de Boni
// The Idealog Blog
The current season milk solids payout was down 30c on original forecasts – an unpleasant end to a highly productive season. Can the dairy sector look forward to better times ahead?
2012-10-16 12:16:22 // Gabby Steyn
// The Idealog Blog
It's time to dream big, promote our achievements and strategically use our creativity to become a major player on the world stage.
2012-10-15 09:10:03 // Esther Goh
// Idealog #41: workshop
Dr Sylvie Chetty weighs in on emulating Nordic countries and why we should celebrate our local successes.
2012-10-09 13:21:50 // Matt Nolan
// The Idealog Blog
| 2 comments
As a general rule of thumb, whenever someone offers you something for nothing they aren’t telling you the full story – and that is exactly what we have with the Greens stating the Reserve Bank should start rebuilding Christchurch themselves by printing money.
2012-10-08 14:21:11 // Gerhard Verwey
// The Idealog Blog
At first glance, the likelihood of competitors in any industry working together towards a common goal seems to be over the edge.
2012-09-27 08:19:00 // Jacqueline Rowarth
// The Idealog Blog
We’re trying to ride a wave of the future – but empty slogans alone won’t get us there. Professor Jacqueline Rowarth suggests we loosen the purse strings.
2012-09-03 10:15:54 // Idealog
Whale Rider, Boy, The Hobbit, Lord of the Rings... The New Zealand film and TV community is now a serious contributor to the economy, as detailed in a report by PricewaterhouseCoopers.
2012-08-24 12:28:41 // Idealog
| 1 comment
Denmark, Finland, Israel, Singapore. All countries constantly extolled as examples for New Zealand to aspire to.
2012-08-08 13:42:51 // Hazel Phillips
// The Idealog Blog
| 3 comments
Labour and the Greens have applauded the Riddet report, which hints at loosening up on GM.
2012-08-02 16:24:21 // Esther Goh
// The Idealog Blog
An independent report on the future of New Zealand’s agri-food sector is calling for a joint approach from industry and government to drive the activities needed to treble the value of exports by the sector by 2025.
2012-07-20 17:15:46 // Esther Goh
// The Idealog Blog
| 1 comment
Environmental constraints are triggering changes in demand, resources, and policies, resulting in new business opportunities.
2012-07-19 10:45:25 // Esther Goh
| 8 comments
The ageing population is not just a long term fiscal challenge but a demographic change that firms ignore at their peril, according to a report released yesterday by the NZIER.
2012-07-04 15:21:41 // Anthony Doesburg
// The Idealog Blog
The world needs more food. And some believe the best way for New Zealand to get a piece of that pie is to learn from Silicon Valley. Anthony Doesburg visits the Waikato Innovation Park to see the model in action.
2012-07-02 13:41:09 // Keren Sim
At last week's Federated Farmers conference in Auckland, finance minister Bill English warned the industry against getting “too distracted” by media focus on the environmental impact of dairying.
2012-06-26 12:29:16 // Idealog
Former World Bank managing director Graeme Wheeler will be the new Reserve Bank Governor, taking over after Alan Bollard's second five-year term expires on September 25.
2012-06-14 09:59:07 // Vincent Heeringa
// The Idealog Blog
China now takes one fifth our total milk supply and that is set to grow – so get used to it, says Fonterra's Henry van der Heyden.
2012-06-11 10:57:46 // Esther Goh
| 7 comments
Our international branding may rely primarily on on portraying our environment and economy as 100% Pure, but we’re failing our own branding test across a range of key environmental tests.
2012-06-11 10:26:55 // Dita de Boni
// The Idealog Blog
| 2 comments
Farming has been the mainstay of the New Zealand economy since the 1840s. But a growing number of public figures are calling for the country to pair its agricultural economy with a ‘knowledge’ one.
2012-06-01 13:51:25 // Idealog
// The Idealog Blog
| 2 comments
New Zealand has slipped down the table in this year's World Competitiveness Yearbook (WCY), falling behind the likes of Ireland and the UAE.
2012-05-29 10:21:31 // Idealog
| 1 comment
Treasury says the revenue gathered through tobacco taxes exceeds the health costs of smoking, and smokers further save the government money because they don't live as long as non-smokers.
2012-05-24 15:04:07
| 1 comment
Finance minister Bill English's 'zero budget' includes a total of $26.5 million in total net new spending over the next four years and will post a surplus in 2014/15.
2012-05-24 14:53:10 // Vincent Heeringa
// The Idealog Blog
| 2 comments
Bill English screwed the fiscal wallet to the floor today, while Auckland mayor Len Brown yesterday went for a spend-a-thon. Could this be our very own Franco-German divide?
2012-05-24 14:19:25 // Idealog
The taxman is getting another $78.4 million over the next four years to help deal with the hidden economy, debt collection, and following up on unfiled returns.
2012-05-24 14:00:01 // Idealog
The government plans to establish a new Future Investment Fund with the proceeds from SOE asset sales, which is expected to amount to $5-7 billion.
2012-05-17 15:27:48 // Dita de Boni
// The Idealog Blog
As a country trying to find common ground between globalisation and Not In My Back Yard (NIMBY) parochialism, the issues around land ownership—particularly farming—are getting a tad muddy. Dita De Boni investigates.
2012-05-14 15:03:37 // Josh Martin
Auckland’s links to China were reinforced on Saturday with the signing of a statement of co-operation between the Beijing Investment Promotion Board (BIPB) and Auckland Tourism, Events and Economic Development (ATEED).
2012-05-03 16:06:23 // Richard Liew
// The Idealog Blog
| 1 comment
The one group that can help fix our housing mess is the one group that is consistently overlooked in these discussions.
2012-05-03 11:22:37
Legislation is underway to reform the Dairy Industry Restructuring Act (DIRA) that would open the doors for Fonterra to enable trading among farmers – a proposal that's divided stakeholders and raised the ugly head of the issue that is foreign ownership.
2012-04-26 14:04:32 // Idealog
The government has revealed plans to amend the Public Finance Act to rein in spending decisions by ministers, including a spending cap, and reporting on fiscal policy successes and failures.
2012-04-26 10:59:02 // Idealog
| 1 comment
Small businesses say things are looking up and expect to lift investment and hire more staff in the coming year, according to the new Business Micro Scope report.
2012-04-19 13:45:34 // Ian Proudfoot
// The Idealog Blog
A decade after being given the virtual ‘last rites’ as an industry, our primary producers are still delivering results. Among other things, says Ian Proudfoot, it’s time we realised our protein advantage and our acumen as a solution and knowledge driven sector.
2012-04-16 10:21:56 // Esther Goh
Export earnings are set to take a backseat to domestic demand in driving growth, according to ASB chief economist Nick Tuffley.
2012-03-26 23:30:38 // Esther Goh
// The Idealog Blog
Exports make up about a third of our economy and they’re continuing to grow that slice of the pie. We’re moving up the value chain slowly, says NZTE chief executive Peter Chrisp – but overall, the picture is static, and that’s a huge concern.
2012-03-26 23:28:57 // Esther Goh
// The Idealog Blog
| 1 comment
As a small country, New Zealand can’t do everything, let alone do everything well. It’s time to zero in on a few key sectors and throw our weight behind them, says MSI chief executive Murray Bain.
2012-03-15 13:55:54 // Idealog
Manufacturing activity enjoyed a sizeable lift in activity for February, according to the latest BNZ - BusinessNZ Performance of Manufacturing Index, reaching a high not seen since April 2010.
2012-03-15 10:14:19 // Pattrick Smellie
// Idealog #38: workshop
| 2 comments
One of the most annoying false arguments we have in New Zealand is about where economic growth should come from.
2012-03-13 09:44:24 // Idealog
// The Idealog Blog
| 2 comments
Want to predict how a country will fare in the 21st century? Don't look to its mineral riches. Instead, check out how its teenagers score on tests.
2012-03-01 08:33:18 // Idealog
The economic outlook is flat but a slow recovery is all part and parcel of getting our household and government finances in order, according to the NZIER.
2012-02-20 10:02:27 // Idealog
Reserve Bank governor Alan Bollard reckons New Zealand may not be doing so badly after all – he blames inconsistent measurements for the persistent income gap between New Zealand and Australia.
2012-02-17 10:14:37 // Esther Goh
It's all doom and gloom this week at Treasury, which has trimmed back its growth forecast for the next couple of years.
2012-02-15 12:52:55 // Esther Goh
Cuts to the public sector saw Wellington's GDP slow to 0.8 percent in 2011, lagging behind national growth of 1.6 percent.
2012-02-14 14:19:52 // Siobhan Leathley
// The Idealog Blog
| 1 comment
Despite the global recession, New Zealand’s five major banks all reported an increase in core earnings – from $2.3 to $2.8 billion – last year.
2012-02-07 11:08:31 // Siobhan Leathley
// The Idealog Blog
The new year has brought with it a fresh surge in optimism, the latest BNZ confidence survey suggests.
2012-02-03 09:49:28 // Esther Goh
| 1 comment
Exports are the key to building national wealth, the Ministry of Economic Development has told incoming minister Steven Joyce.
2012-02-03 08:30:31 // Esther Goh
The government has plenty of opportunities to deepen New Zealand's capital markets and fix IP laws to stimulate innovation, a briefing to the incoming commerce minister reads.
2012-01-26 10:10:39 // Idealog
The official cash rate is staying at 2.5 percent, with Reserve Bank Governor Alan Bollard citing a "fragile" global economy in retaining the status quo.
2012-01-17 10:35:43 // Idealog
Food prices inched up 0.2 percent in December, with higher produce prices outpacing a drop in soft drinks and fruit juice.
2012-01-13 10:24:06 // Siobhan Leathley
// The Idealog Blog
As the Ports of Auckland standoff drags on, the Productivity Commission is recommending partial privatisation of council air and sea port assets.
2012-01-12 09:51:38 // Idealog
Employment confidence has sunk to its lowest levels since June 2009, according to the latest Westpac McDermott Miller Employment Confidence index.
2012-01-10 13:31:35 // Siobhan Leathley
Increasing demand for houses in Auckland isn't making up for the dwindling number of building consents approved.
2011-12-14 10:08:13 // Esther Goh
Fonterra has boosted its pre-Christmas boost forecast payout for farmers, which would result in nearly $300 million extra flowing into Kiwi coffers.
2011-12-12 13:07:30 // Siobhan Leathley
A new economic plan to expand and diversify the city of Wellington has been approved by the mayor and members of the city council.
2011-12-05 11:00:23 // Esther Goh
// The Idealog Blog
| 1 comment
It pays to be small these days – small countries are going to be the drivers of the new global economy, says Kiwi expat and economist David Skilling.
2011-11-25 10:15:33 // Idealog
| 2 comments
Labour has staked its election campaign upon a promise to retain SOEs in New Zealand – but are asset sales the devil in disguise as Goff paints them out to be?
2011-11-25 09:42:01 // Idealog
New Zealand’s trade deficit was smaller than expected in October as exports were buoyed by more shippings of crude oil and meat.
2011-11-08 14:46:25 // David Tripe
// The Idealog Blog
In the short run, the New Zealand economy is likely to deteriorate, and another credit rating downgrade can't be ruled out.
2011-10-03 10:58:47 // Idealog
The downgrading of New Zealand's credit rating today is a reflection of global concerns about foreign debt, says the government.
2011-09-30 12:02:32 // Idealog
| 2 comments
We can't blame our size or lack of minerals for the growing income gap between New Zealand and Australia, according to the New Zealand Institute of Economic Research.
2011-09-26 17:19:10 // Idealog
New Zealand needs a few lessons in competitiveness, if you put stock in the World Economic Forum's opinion, and November will see delegates from more than 40 countries descend on Auckland to build alliances, explore new models and envision what's next in economic development.
2011-09-26 11:41:37 // Idealog
The trade balance dipped to a $641 million deficit last month, but recorded a surplus of $1.1 billion (2.3 percent of exports) for the year to date, according to Statistics New Zealand.
2011-09-26 10:19:43 // Idealog
In light of a deteriorating global economy, World Trade Organization economists are revising their 2011 trade forecast to 5.8 percent, down from an earlier conservative estimate of 6.5 percent.
2011-09-22 14:31:41 // Idealog
Economic activity as measured by gross domestic product was up just 0.1 percent in the June 2011 quarter, after a more-than-healthy 0.9 percent increase in the previous three months.
2011-09-21 11:35:42 // Idealog
| 1 comment
Farm gate prices have boosted sheepmeat producers to levels not seen for nearly a decade and a recently-released industry report suggests farmers can expect to continue to enjoy high prices and favourable offshore market conditions in the year ahead.
2011-09-20 13:40:30 // Esther Goh
| 1 comment
It's a tall order, making Auckland's the 'world's most liveable city' by 2040, but we'll never know if we don't try. Mayor Len Brown today launched the draft Auckland Plan, accompanied by plans for the region’s economic development, the city centre and the waterfront, which outline initiatives for urban design and business growth to secure its future as a "globally competitive city".
2011-09-19 12:34:32 // Esther Goh
Economists are revising their outlooks upwards – despite the ongoing global uncertainty – driven in part by the Canterbury rebuild. Meanwhile, the service sector has been buoyed thanks to plenty of new business.
2011-09-19 11:46:12 // Idealog
Most optimistic about the year ahead are Kiwis in the 18-29 age bracket, who foresee better economic times ahead at home and globally, according to the latest Westpac McDermott Miller Consumer Confidence Index.
2011-09-16 11:20:24 // Idealog
The healthcare and social assistance sector was the biggest winner in 2010 while financial and insurance services recorded the biggest income fall, but overall Kiwi businesses saw the first decrease in total industry income in more than 10 years.
2011-09-15 09:59:16 // Idealog
No surprises there: Reserve Bank Governor Alan Bollard has opted to leave the official cash rate unchanged, saying the economy has performed "relatively well" amidst global turmoil.
2011-09-14 14:33:50 // Matt Nolan
// Idealog #35: workshop
In a situation reminiscent of the 70s, the world economy has been battered by myriad oil price shocks in recent years. Can anything be done to make things better?
2011-09-12 12:14:53 // Idealog
Wholesale trade sales were up again in the June quarter for the seventh consecutive time, Statistics New Zealand said today.
2011-09-08 17:44:25 // Willy Leferink
// The Idealog Blog
New Zealanders have a tendency to catastrophise, writes Willy Leferink, but farmers aren’t dumb – it's not in their interests to abuse what their resources.
2011-09-08 10:27:49 // Esther Goh
New Zealand has been named the 25th most competitive economy out of 142 countries, conceding two places from last year's ranking after being leapfrogged by Israel and Malaysia.
2011-09-05 11:52:25 // Idealog
The economic recovery is picking up pace despite ongoing global jitters, as evidenced by a host of recent confidence surveys.
2011-09-01 13:21:05 // Idealog
Dairy's golden run lifted New Zealand's terms of trade to a 37-year high in the June quarter, and while Statistics New Zealand believes dairy prices have peaked, returns should remain high for years yet.
2011-08-25 13:02:56 // Idealog
In the latest indicator of economic recovery, the retail sector is strengthening, with sales up nearly 2 percent in the June quarter and price rises across a number of industries.
2011-08-25 10:52:48 // Anthony Byett
// Idealog #35: workshop
| 1 comment
We’re not buying more flowers or CDs for our loved ones but we are getting round to visiting the dentist and optometrist.
2011-08-24 10:40:31 // Idealog
Inflation expectations are easing, if the Reserve Bank's latest quarterly survey of expectations is anything to go by, with respondents tipping a 2.94 percent rate for one year out.
2011-08-18 11:30:26 // Esther Goh
| 7 comments
An early All Blacks bow-out from the Rugby World Cup could negatively impact domestic spending, the Reserve Bank says.
2011-08-17 11:10:16 // Idealog
Prices for NZ-made goods and services as measured by Statistics New Zealand rose 1.4 per cent in the last quarter, reflecting higher prices for refined petroleum products such as petrol and diesel.
2011-08-12 08:57:28 // Idealog
Kiwis have renewed confidence in the economy and are showing more willingness to open their wallets despite offshore turbulence, a survey has found.
2011-08-09 11:23:27 // Idealog
Electronic transactions increased slightly last month but the value of total transactions was flat, with fuel spending tumbling for a third month.
2011-08-09 10:26:41 // Idealog
Confirming what most already knew, the OECD says economic activity is slowing in most member countries as well as major-non member economies.
2011-08-08 10:33:45 // Esther Goh
New Zealand's banking system is in a solid position despite the global economic turmoil, but the road to recovery will be a long one, experts say.
2011-08-04 12:16:47 // Idealog
Unemployment is holding steady, with both the labour force size and number of hours worked climbing in the last quarter.
2011-08-03 10:11:55 // Idealog
| 1 comment
New Zealand companies need to start winning more government contracts in order to boost the economy by millions – but a focus on price above all else is negatively affecting results.
2011-08-01 09:55:43 // Idealog
Kiwi consumers are still feeling pessimistic about spending, and our Aussie counterparts are even more gloomy, where consumer confidence is at its lowest point since June 2009.
2011-07-28 09:47:33 // Idealog
The Reserve Bank is holding the official cash rate at 2.5 percent, as was widely predicted, but its governor Alan Bollard says the climbing dollar is dragging down the economy.
2011-07-28 09:12:06 // Esther Goh
// The Idealog Blog
Our publisher Vincent Heeringa chats to Wammo about inflation, interest rates and the wacky, wacky things happening to our economy. Scintillating stuff.
2011-07-26 14:36:22 // Esther Goh
// The Idealog Blog
Those feeling the pinch probably didn't need to be told that inflation reached a new high recently. So just what drove that inflationary peak 21 years ago, and how do conditions now compare to the situation then?
2011-07-18 08:20:28 // Esther Goh
// The Idealog Blog
We Idealogues are fond of Sir Paul Callaghan; he loves our country and has plenty of thoughts on how we can make it an even better place. And more importantly, he's not afraid to share them.
2011-07-14 14:30:10 // Idealog
There would be plenty of reasons for the manufacturing sector to slow down, but it’s holding up nicely, according to the latest PMI stats.
2011-07-14 14:07:44 // Idealog
Buoyed largely by the manufacturing sector, GDP rose 0.8 per cent in the March 2011 quarter, Statistics New Zealand announced today. This follows a 0.5 percent increase in economic activity in the December 2010 quarter.
2011-07-13 16:51:10 // Esther Goh
The Productivity Commission is calling for public submissions as it launches an inquiry into the international freight transport sector.
2011-07-12 09:00:00 // Idealog
| 1 comment
While the Christchurch rebuild effort has seen demand for engineering, property and architecture experts soar, job-seekers with accountancy and contact centre skills have pretty good prospects too, according to recruiting company Hays.
2011-07-11 17:02:22 // Idealog
Kiwis indulged in a bit of retail therapy last month, according to figures from Statistics New Zealand, but one place we weren't opening our wallets was at the pump.
2011-07-11 09:18:42 // Jacqueline Rowarth
// The Idealog Blog
| 2 comments
Farmers occupy a strange position, writes Jacqueline Rowarth: recognised for their key role in the economy, yet blamed for rising food prices and environmental impacts.
2011-07-08 11:21:35 // Vanessa Ellingham
A second round of business optimism stats this week show that Kiwi business confidence is on the rise. The Grant Thornton International Business Report was released yesterday, with New Zealand up 8 percentage points to 52 percent percent this quarter in the optimism percentage balance ranking. This comes after the national NZIER survey was released earlier this week showing a similar trend.
2011-07-07 10:05:49 // Vincent Heeringa
// The Idealog Blog
| 9 comments
As milk powder prices peak, the TradeMe founder finds a new trick: dairying in Brazil. Que?
2011-07-05 11:11:01 // Idealog
Figures show a marked recovery in the Canterbury economy but modest growth elsewhere, according to the NZIER's Quarterly Survey of Business Opinion released this morning.
2011-06-30 15:26:17 // Idealog
The latest National Bank Business Outlook report shows nearly half of surveyed businesses have high hopes for the coming year, with rural regions leading the charge.
2010-06-22 11:45:40 // Jason Smith
// The Idealog Blog
| 1 comment
All our eggs (and milk, meat and timber) are in one basket. Let’s mix it up a little
2010-06-21 15:22:59 // Jason Smith
// Idealog #27: workshop
| 1 comment
All our eggs (and milk, meat and timber) are in one basket. Let’s mix it up a little.
2010-05-18 11:06:13 // Vincent Heeringa
// Idealog #27: celsias
Environmental activist, lawyer and famous son, Robert Kennedy Jr says the best argument for environmental protection is neither moral nor scientific—it’s economic.
2010-04-28 10:02:10 // Chris Tobias
// Idealog #27: celsias
| 1 comment
We’re on the brink of transition, says Phillip Mills, with opportunities aplenty in the cleantech field, so he and a diverse range of industry heads plan to lift our economy with a fresh set of rules. By Chris Tobias.
2010-03-04 14:10:33 // Vincent Heeringa
// Idealog #26: features
| 3 comments
Catch those upstart Aussies by 2025. That’s the aim of John Key and his young Turks. Dream on, John. Government inaction and the biggest recession in 70 years are conspiring to bring us level with the home of Borat by 2025. Vincent Heeringa reckons we need a better plan to avoid becoming New Zealistan.
2010-02-23 22:44:00 // Vincent Heeringa
// The Idealog Blog
| 1 comment
A new report by IBM and the Univerity of Auckland into the state of Kiwi innovation reveals two surprising facts, and one dismally old one
2010-02-09 23:31:00 // Vincent Heeringa
// The Idealog Blog
| 1 comment
After so many hints that a major overhaul of the Kiwi economy was to come, Prime Minister John Key's speech today records a blow for mediocrity.
2009-07-31 11:40:36 // Vincent Heeringa
// The Idealog Blog
| 1 comment
Don Brash’ Productivity Commission is doomed for a simple reason: The Don. He's too divisive and wonkish to lead New Zild into the great productivity debate.
2009-07-03 08:44:52 // Matt Cooney
// Idealog #22: interact
Innovation isn’t just a commercial buzzword. It can transform our schools, hospitals, public spaces, transport, workplaces and our leisure time. And now New Zealand has its own organisation dedicated to encouraging new thinking to transform Kiwi society.
2009-05-26 16:04:03 // Simon Young
// Idealog TV
| 2 comments
Tim Chang, Principal of Norwest Venture Partners in Silicon Valley, sees New Zealand as a source of unique and refreshing ideas, born out of our distance from easy capital. Being a VC from Silicon Valley, you'd expect him to advise Kiwi businesses to chase American money, but you may be surprised at his answer.
2009-05-21 23:39:44 // Vincent Heeringa
// The Idealog Blog
| 26 comments
How did 100 talented entrepreneurs pick an idea only Murray Hewitt would think is cool?
2008-10-17 14:39:51 // Vincent Heeringa
// Idealog #17: features
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Labour swept to power in 1999 promising to transform New Zealand into a world-class, knowledge-led economy. Instead, they reverted to ‘Old Labour’ habits of taxing, regulating and centralising. Vincent Heeringa weighs up Labour’s promises against its achievements and wonders what’s next
2008-10-14 14:51:39 // Vincent Heeringa
// Idealog #17: now
Each year 70,000 New Zealanders leave our shores, says David Skilling—and in December he’ll join the exodus
2007-11-06 12:03:40 // David MacGregor
// Idealog #12: workshop
Does mass collaboration herald the rise of a new literati, or just more monkeys with typewriters? Two books take polar views
2007-08-23 23:00:00 // David MacGregor
// Idealog #11: features
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Many New Zealanders find they learn most about their country by living somewhere else for a while. Steven Carden is no exception: after three years in New York with McKinsey & Co, he returned to Godzone with some new ideas about our past, our future and our place on the planet. But unlike most New Zealanders, Carden has put his thoughts into a book: New Zealand Unleashed, subtitled ‘The country, its future and the people who will get it there’. David MacGregor meets the man behind the message
