New Zealand products and employees are highly valued around the world and Kiwis are easy to do business with, according to a new ‘global census’.
The 2015 Kea/Colmar Brunton Every Kiwi Counts survey polled expat Kiwis about New Zealand’s reputation in the countries they are living in.
More than four out of five expats (83 percent) said New Zealand products were regarded internationally as being of high quality, while two-thirds believe New Zealanders are viewed internationally as being easy to do business with.
However, only 38 percent believed New Zealanders had a good reputation for their understanding of global markets and perspectives.
Kea Global CEO Craig Donaldson says the survey suggests the positive reputation of New Zealand is a competitive advantage for our exporters.
“Consumers will pay more for quality and international consumers believe in the quality of New Zealand products. New Zealand exporters have a fantastic opportunity to leverage this positive sentiment and target the premium, higher-margin segment of the market.
“Kea operates a connection service which puts Kiwi businesses in touch with key in-market contacts within our half a million-strong borderless nation.”
Colmar Brunton CEO Jacqueline Farman says New Zealand is a great “brand”, but Kiwi businesses need to improve their understanding of global markets to reach their full potential.
“Brand reputation is hugely important for businesses, but the ‘brand reputation’ of a country can also have an impact on consumer choices. New Zealand-made food and natural health products in particularly are widely viewed as being safe and of premium quality.
“The challenge for New Zealand businesses is to build on that to market their own unique brands globally.”
New Zealand’s positive reputation extends to its people, with 79 percent of expats saying Kiwis are well regarded internationally for their skills and capabilities as employees.
Donaldson, who spent several years living in New York during his financial career, says he is not surprised Kiwis are viewed by international employers as good workers.
“New Zealanders are known for having a great work ethic and bringing a can-do, innovative attitude to their job. They also tend to have a broad viewpoint and range of skills, due to New Zealand employers being small by international standards.”
Another area the Every Kiwi Counts survey investigated was investments. It found 15 percent of expats had a residential property investment in New Zealand, while another 52 per cent were thinking about buying a rental.
A further 15 percent had invested in New Zealand shares and while only 5 percent had full or part ownership of a business, one in five said they were considering it.
