Welcome to the fourth research symposium organized by the New Zealand Center for SME Research: The people behind the profit. This is the fourth consecutive year that the Centre's research staff have presented the results of their work to people who might use it - researchers, policy makers and others directly involved in New Zealand SMEs. Without access to these funds we would not be able to undertake projects of this nature – and the knowledge base of New Zealand SMEs would be poorer if this were the case.
Kate Lewis, Claire Massey, Candice Harris, Alan Coetzer & Alan Cameron 11.30am The New Zealand Center for SME Research: The year in review. In 2000, Massey University established the New Zealand Center for SME Research in response to the growing recognition of the importance of the SME sector to New Zealand and to reflect the contribution university researchers have already made to the development of SMEs. A number of these researchers are formally affiliated with the Center as Research Associates, and their research has already contributed much to our understanding of the issues facing the industry in New Zealand.
Over the past five years these individuals have continued to work on a wide range of research projects – all designed to address the particular needs and interests of those actively involved in supporting SMEs and to impact key concerns for SMEs in New Zealand. The result of these factors is that the New Zealand Center for SME Research is able to bring together project teams that are multi-disciplinary, which include experienced researchers who can carry out all types of research and where researchers from involved are passionate about SME development. Alan is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Management at Massey University in Palmerston North and a Research Associate of the New Zealand Center for SME Research.
Alan's current areas of research include family business and a study of business education in New Zealand tertiary institutions.
A LAN C OETZER
He has been involved in the SME sector for over 20 years and has published over 60 articles on SMEs, entrepreneurship and small business advisors.
C ANDICE H ARRIS
K ATE L EWIS
HIRING STAFF
Oh, we can tender easily… but we just don't have the energy to do it. It's thought to be expected in firms based in small towns, but surprisingly common in firms in cities as well. Word of mouth is probably the only recruitment I would really use… It would be unusual.
No, I don't believe in CVs, just old fashioned skills… if we had a welder come in here, I'd just say 'okay, you go down there and weld. I think unfortunately we've gone for the older person rather than a younger person, just because. They have a late night and are unlikely to make it to work the next morning...they are.
If they have a…family, then that's always good, because that's a pretty cool thing. Most often, the term "fit" (ie with the existing firm and staff) was used as the basis of the decision - as was the individual's attitude. At the time of the interview, I spend a lot of time thinking about how the person will fit into the organization, not necessarily their technical skills, but will they fit in?".
Actually not asking much about work to be reasonable...For me it's more about attitude. We often try to build loyalties that way ... there are some guys, for example. that we sponsor their yacht master certificates...that is ultimately a motivating factor more than anything else. It will take you a week to read our health and safety...it's just a bugbear of mine that it needs to be done properly.
I think you get more out of people who are happy in what they do rather than those who are always looking over their backs to see if you are. It is often thought that the benefit of the training does not necessarily exceed the cost. You have to weigh up whether the course they are going to actually benefit them here or is it going to benefit them more to have.
STAFF LEAVING
ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR CLAIRE MASSEY Director of the New Zealand Center for SME BA, MBA, PhD. As Director of the NZ Center for SME Research, Claire has considerable experience as a practicing researcher and as an SME owner. Martin is Acting Head of Department of Management and Enterprise Development at Massey University in Wellington and a Research Fellow of the New Zealand Center for SME Research.
Andrew is a lecturer in the Department of Management and International Business at the Albany campus and a research associate of the New Zealand Center for SME Research. As a member of the Department of Management at the Palmerston North campus, David has been involved in SME development and undertaking related research for over fifteen years. He is a Research Fellow of the New Zealand Center for SME Research and has published research on a wide range of topics including managerial competence, gender, innovation, technological learning and SME longevity.
How confident are you that you can assess your bank's response to your need before submitting a request. Alan is a lecturer in the Department of Management and Enterprise Development at Massey University in Wellington and a research fellow at the New Zealand Center for SME Research. Alan has a particular interest in small business workforce development issues and recently completed his PhD on the effect of the manager on the work-related learning of small business employees.
D AVID T WEED
Kate is a lecturer in the Department of Management and Enterprise Development at Massey University in Wellington and a research fellow at the New Zealand Center for SME Research. Her research interests include youth entrepreneurship, corporate aid sources and their impact on business development, entrepreneurship education and program evaluation. Marco is a lecturer in the Department of Management and International Business at the Albany campus and a research fellow at the New Zealand Center for SME Research.
He received his PhD from the Free University of Amsterdam and then worked for the Entrepreneurship Center of the Rotterdam School of Management (RSM) of Erasmus University, before joining Massey University. Marco's research interests include business opportunities arising from societal changes, psychological aspects of the entrepreneurial process, and the psychological antecedents and consequences of self-employment.
