Centralisation without corporatism: the politics of New Zealand business in the recession

Abstract

New Zealand business associations have responded to adverse economic pressures through organisational centralisation, increased representational activity and by assuming a greater involvement in policy formation. Such responses from the collective organisations of business have been evident without any concomitant undertaking from business to participate in corporatist modes of policy-making. This article traces these centralist tendencies and examines the reasons for the changing forms of policy input. While some collective action theorists have contended that business organisation is incidental to the power of business, this study suggests that a revaluation of such claims is necessary. This article examines the conditions under which collective organisation of business is important.