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New Zealand boards and frontier firms

Authors

Jo Smith

Sally Garden

David Teece

Kieran Brown

Date published

4 September 2020

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The Commission investigated the role of corporate governance in lifting the performance of New Zealand firms as part of its inquiry into New Zealand’s “frontier firms”.

This paper New Zealand boards and frontier firms presents the findings from in-depth interviews with 22 executive and non-executive/independent directors of New Zealand firms. Participants were recruited from the Institute of Directors’ membership.

The aim of the interviews was to generate new insights about how current corporate governance practices are supporting or impeding the productivity of New Zealand firms. The discussions focused on how boards make decisions that would foster growth, scale-up, innovation and internationalisation – all of which associated with higher productivity and are characteristics of frontier firms.

We also commissioned the BRG Institute to explain the management and governance capabilities required to foster the productivity and global competitiveness of New Zealand firms. Read their report New Zealand frontier firms: A capabilities-based perspective.

Short on time? Read the key findings here.

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