The Kiwi and the Work Ethic

Abstract

Having worked for an international consultancy firm for a number of years, I have had the opportunity to observe many varying attitudes towards work and leisure in different countries these differences have been of particular interest to me as I advise on the organisation of companies, hopefully to improve levels of productivity and efficiency. However, I am aware that little attention in this work is paid to cultural differences, which could well be a serious flaw in obtaining satisfactory results. When I arrived in New Zealand in early 1976 I had that initially deceptive impression that attitudes and outlooks here are exactly the same as those in England. Over the last year I have realised that there are significant differences.