Advising New Zealand's Family Businesses: Current Issues and Opportunities

Abstract

The foundations of New Zealand's business landscape are built on successful family businesses such as the Todd Corporation, Fletcher Building, Quality Bakers, Barfoot and Thompson, Resene Paints, Sleepyhead, Michael Hill Jeweller, and Corban Wines, to name a few. Considering the decades that these businesses span, it is safe to say that family businesses are by no means a recent phenomenon. However, family business consultation and academic research is. This lack of specialised focus is surprising considering that family businesses dominate the global economic scene, comprising approximately 70% of businesses worldwide and 60% of New Zealand firms.