Manukau City emerged as a star performer in the GEM study, with its comparative level of entrepreneurial activity putting it in fourth place in a global table behind Thailand, India and Chile.
At 14.8 per cent, Manukau was marginally ahead of Waitakere City on 14.6 per cent. New Zealand totalled 14
per cent.
In a city that suffers comparatively high levels of unemployment the GEM results suggest a nascent entrepreneurial culture.
Among the Manukau entrepreneurs surveyed, 21.7 per cent said they made use of technology that had only come on stream in the past one or two years, a figure one third higher than the New Zealand average.
At 43.6 per cent the city's entrepreneurs had the highest expectation that their product or service was new or unfamiliar, a figure 10 per cent more than the national average.
They shone in exports as well, with one third saying that 50 per cent of their customers normally live outside New Zealand compared with the 14.2 per cent national export figure.
The full scope of the study and its implications were canvassed when Unitec GEM researcher Howard Frederick made a presentation to the Manukau City Council.
Council director of community and economic development Dr Praful Rambhai said GEM had been a valuable start to assess the level of entrepreneurial activity.
After looking more closely at results Manukau would decide where to go next.
Manukau City Mayor Sir Barry Curtis is under no illusions that the optimistic results offer any quick fix towards reducing unemployment from 17,500, two thirds of them aged under 30.
Development agency Enterprising Manukau has worked with central Government to help people into business and attract manufacturers in the area.
Sir Barry pointed to the decision by meat processor Jack Links to set up a factory and said another decision was near on an Australian automotive business to set up in the city.
But there appears to be little attention aimed directly at creating growth businesses from innovation and entrepreneurship in the community.
Manukau does not have a business incubator unit like the e-centre backed by North Shore City, like WestSmart in Waitakere or the Icehouse in Parnell, which is linked to Auckland University.
Manukau City Council
Herald feature:
Global Entrepreneurship Monitor Report - 2002
Manukau City emerged as a star performer in the GEM study, with its comparative level of entrepreneurial activity putting it in fourth place in a global table behind Thailand, India and Chile.
At 14.8 per cent, Manukau was marginally ahead of Waitakere City on 14.6 per cent. New Zealand totalled 14
AdvertisementAdvertise with NZME.