ABSTRACT
New Zealand's productivity profile is full of contradictions. On the one hand, it is a First World country – GDP US$55 290 million in 2002 – impressively built up by fewer than 2 million taxpayers among a wider population of just 3.8 million. New Zealand managers resemble their counterparts all over the world – they avoid blame, hide when things go wrong and find fault in others, albeit in slightly greater measure than others. The explanation for this lies in New Zealand's egalitarian roots that have resulted in a conservative pay structure. In the agricultural sector, New Zealand's biggest earner, advice being given by government scientists actually encourages farmers to continue to make old mistakes. New Zealand's Sheep Council, for example, persists in urging sheep farmers to prematurely turn hoggets (young ewes) into productive animals. South Africa's business history has similarities with that of New Zealand.
