International Business

Assignment -1 NEWZEALAND

Submitted byMudit Govil MBA(Oil & Gas) R020210026

New Zealand

New Zealand (Aotearoa in Mori) is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses (the North Island and the South Island) and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some 1,500 kilometres (900 mi) east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly 1,000 kilometres (600 mi) south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga. Due to its remoteness, it was one of the last lands to be settled by humans. During its long isolation New Zealand developed a distinctive fauna dominated by birds, many of which became extinct after the arrival of humans and introduced mammals. With a mild maritime climate, the land was mostly covered in forest. The country's varied topography and its sharp mountain peaks owe much to the uplift of land and volcanic eruptions caused by the Pacific and Indo-Australian Plates clashing underfoot.

Geography of New Zealand

The geography of New Zealand encompasses two main islands (the North and South Islands, TeIka-a-Maui and Te Wai Pounamu in Mori) and a number of smaller islands, located near the centre of the water hemisphere. New Zealand varies in climate, from cold and wet to dry and to subtropical in some areas. The dramatic and varied landscape of New Zealand has made it a popular location for the production of television programmes and films, including the Lord of the Rings trilogy. Neighbouring countries include Australia to the northwest and Tonga and Fiji to the north. Physical geography New Zealand is in Oceania, in the South Pacific Ocean at 41S 174E. It has an area of 268,680 square kilometres (103,738 sq. mi) (including Antipodes Islands, Auckland Islands, Bounty Islands, Campbell Islands, Chatham Islands, and Kermadec Islands), making it slightly smaller than Italy and Japan and a little larger than the United Kingdom. These islands are the main areas of land that emerged from the largely submerged continent of Zealandia. New Zealand has 15,134 km (9,398 mi) of coastline and extensive marine resources. The country claims the seventh-largest Exclusive Economic Zone in the world, covering over four million square kilometres (1.5 million sq mi), more than 15 times its land area. It has no land borders. The South Island is the largest land mass and contains about one quarter of the population. The island is divided along its length by the Southern Alps, the highest peak of which is Aoraki/Mount Cook at 3754 metres (12,316 ft). There are 18 peaks of more than 3000 metres (9800 ft) in the South Island. The east side of the island has the Canterbury Plains while the West Coast is famous for its rough coastlines, very high proportion of native bush, and Fox and Franz Josef Glaciers. The North Island is less mountainous than the South, and is marked by volcanism. The island's tallest mountain, Mount Ruapehu (2797 m / 9176 ft), is an active cone volcano. Lake Taupo is near the centre of the North Island and is the largest lake by surface area in the country. It lies in a caldera created by the Oruanui eruption, the largest eruption in the world in the past 70,000 years. Geology New Zealand straddles the boundary between two tectonic plates. The subduction of the Pacific plate under the Indo-Australian Plate results in volcanism, especially in the North Island's Taupo Volcanic Zone. The associated geothermal energy is used in numerous hydrothermal power plants. Some volcanic places are also famous tourist destinations, such as the Rotorua geysers. The collision between the two plates causes regular earthquakes, though severe ones are infrequent. These have uplifted the Southern Alps along the Alpine Fault, and the resulting

orographic rainfall enables the hydroelectric generation of most of the country's electricity. New Zealand experiences around 14,000 earthquakes a year, some in excess of magnitude 7. There are karst sedimentary rock formations, the largest area being Takaka Hill and surrounding area, and others include the Waitomo Caves and the Pancake Rocks which are recognised tourist attractions. Political geography New Zealand consists of 16 regions, seven in the South Island and nine in the North, and a number of outlying islands that are not included within regional boundaries. The Chatham Islands is not a region, although its council operates as a region under the Resource Management Act. The Kermadecs and the sub-Antarctic islands are inhabited only by a small number of Department of Conservation staff. Climate The climate is mostly cool temperate to warm temperate. Mean temperatures range from 8 C (46 F) in the South Island to 16 C (61 F) in the North Island. January and February are the warmest months, July the coldest. New Zealand does not have a large temperature range, apart from central Otago, but the weather can change rapidly and unexpectedly. Subtropical conditions are experienced in Northland.Peak summer temperatures are in the range 24-28 degrees Celsius,although inland Central Otago often experiences 30-34 degrees. Winds in New Zealand are predominantly from the West and South West, in Winter, when the climate is dominated by regular depressions. In Summer winds are more variable with a northerly predominance associated with the regular large anti cyclones which cover all the country. Most settled, lowland areas of the country have between 600 and 1600 mm of rainfall, with the most rain along the west coast of the South Island and the least on the east coast of the South Island and interior basins, predominantly on the Canterbury Plains and the Central Otago Basin ( about 350 mm PA). Christchurch is the driest city, receiving about 640 mm (25 in) of rain per year, while Hamilton is the wettest, receiving more than twice that amount at 1325mm PA,followed closely by Auckland. The wettest area by far is the rugged Fiordland region,in the South West of the South Island, which has between 5000 and 8000 m rain per year,with up to 15,000 mm in isolated valleys, amongst the highest recorded rainfalls in the world. New Zealand's UV index can be very high and extreme in the hottest times of the year in the north of the North Island. This is partly due to the country's relatively little air pollution compared to many other countries and the high sunshine hours. New Zealand has very high sunshine hours with most areas receiving over 2000 hours per year.The sunniest areas are Nelson/Marlborough and the Bay Of Plenty with 2400 Hours per years.Westland is the region with the lowest hours at 1600 which is the same as the sunniest area(Scilly Isles)in Britain. There are three main factors that influence New Zealand's climate

the latitude, with prevailing westerly winds; the oceanic environment.

the mountains, especially the Southern Alps.

Land use Natural resources include coal, gold, hydropower, iron ore, limestone, natural gas, sand, iron sand and timber. Land use

arable land: 5.54% permanent crops: 6.92% other: 87.54%

Irrigated land: 2,850 km (2003) Natural hazards

Earthquakes are common, though usually not severe, averaging 3,000 per year mostly less than 3 on the Richter scale. Volcanic activity is most common on the central North Island Volcanic Plateau. Tsunamis Fire bans exist in some areas in summer. Droughts are not regular and occur mainly in Otago and the Canterbury Plains and less frequently over much of the North Island between January and April. Flooding is the most regular natural hazard. Few regions have escaped winter floods. Settlements are usually close to hill-country areas which experience much higher rainfall than the lowlands due to the orographic effect. Mountain streams which feed the major rivers rise rapidly and frequently break their banks covering farms with water and silt. Close monitoring, excellent weather forecasting, stopbanks, multiple hydropower dams, river dredging and reafforestation programmes in hill country have ameliorated the worst effects.

Environment Current issues: Deforestation, soil erosion, native flora and fauna hard-hit by invasive species. International agreements:

party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation, Antarctic Seals

Antipodes New Zealand, and especially the Bounty and Antipodes Islands, are near the center of the water hemispherethe hemisphere of the Earth with the smallest amount of land. New Zealand proper is largely antipodal to the Iberian Peninsula of Europe. The northern half of South Island corresponds to Galicia and northern Portugal, with Christchurch corresponding to the coast near Foz, and northern Cape Stephens just reaching Salamanca. Most of North Island corresponds to central and southern Spain, from Valladolid (opposite the southern point of South Island, Cape Palliser), through Madrid and Toledo to Cordoba (directly antipodal to Hamilton), Lorca (opposite East Cape), Mlaga (Cape Colville), and Gibraltar. Parts of the Northland Peninsula oppose Morocco, with Whangarei nearly coincident with Tangiers. The antipodes of the Chatham Islands lie in France, just north of the city of Montpellier.

Geographical Locations
Over three-quarters of New Zealands population live in the North Island (76 percent) with onethird of the total population living in the Auckland region. This region is also the fastest growing, accounting for 46 percent of New Zealands total population growth. Most Mori live in the North Island (87 percent), although less than a quarter (24 percent) live in Auckland. New Zealand is a predominantly urban country, with 86 percent of the population living in an urban area. About 72 percent of the population live in the 16 main urban areas (population of 30,000 or more) and 53 percent live in the four largest cities of Auckland, Christchurch, Wellington, and Hamilton. Approximately 14 percent of the population live in four different categories of rural areas as defined by Statistics New Zealand. About 18 percent of the rural population live in areas that have a high urban influence (roughly 12.9 people per square kilometre), many working in the main urban area. Rural areas with moderate urban influence and a population density of about 6.5 people per square kilometre account for 26 percent of the rural population. Areas with low urban influence where the majority of the residents work in the rural area house approximately 42 percent of the rural population. Remote rural areas with a density of less than 1 person per square kilometre account for about 14 percent of the rural population. The vast majority of the population live on the main North and South Islands, with New Zealand's major inhabited smaller islands being Waiheke Island (7,689), Great Barrier Island (850), Chatham and Pitt Islands (609), and Stewart Island (402).[17] In 2006, 15,342 people were residents of the Cook Islands, with two thirds living on Rarotonga, and the other third spread over the other 14 islands. The resident population of Tokelau and Niue was 1,466 and 1,625 respectively in 2006. At the time 58,008 Cook Islanders, 22,476 Niueans and 6,819 Tokelauans lived in New Zealand.

Demographics of New Zealand

The demographics of New Zealand encompass the gender, ethnic, religious, geographic, and economic backgrounds of the 4.4 million people living in New Zealand. New Zealanders, informally known as "Kiwis", predominantly live in urban areas within the North Island. The four largest cities are Auckland (with one-third of the country's population), Christchurch, Wellington and Hamilton. Few New Zealanders live outside the main North and South Islands. Waiheke Island (near Auckland) is easily the most populated smaller island with 7,689 residents, while Great Barrier Island, the Chatham and Pitt Islands and Stewart Island each have populations below 1,000. New Zealand is part of a realm and the most people born in the realm's external territories of Tokelau, the Ross Dependency, the Cook Islands and Niue are considered New Zealanders. In 2006, more people who identified themselves with these islands lived in New Zealand than on the Islands themselves. The majority of New Zealand's population is of European descent (69 percent), with the indigenous Mori being the largest minority (14.6 percent), followed by Asians (9.2 percent) and non-Mori Polynesians (6.9 percent). This is reflected in immigration, with most new migrants coming from the United Kingdom and Ireland, although the numbers from Asia are increasing. In 2001 an estimated 460,000 New Zealanders live abroad, mostly in Australia, representing nearly one-quarter of the highly-skilled worker force. This number has reportedly surged to over 600,000 as of 2010 The largest Mori iwi is Ngapuhi with 122,211 people or 24 percent of the Mori population. Auckland is the most ethnically diverse region in New Zealand with 56.5 percent identifying as Europeans, 18.9 percent as Asian, 11.1 percent as Mori and 14.4 percent as other Pacific Islanders. The ethnicity of the population aged under 18 years is more diverse (72 percent European, 24 percent Mori, 12 percent Pacific and 10 percent Asian) than the population aged 65 years or older (91 percent European, 5 percent Mori, 4 percent Asian and 2 percent Pacific).

Recent increases in interracial marriages has resulted in the more people identifying with more than one ethnic group. English, Mori and New Zealand Sign Language are the official languages, with English predominant. New Zealand English is mostly non-rhotic and sounds similar to Australian English, with a common exception being the centralisation of the short i. Maori has undergone a process of revitalisation and is spoken by 4.1 percent of the population. New Zealand has an adult literacy rate of 99 percent and over half of the population aged 15 to 29 hold a tertiary qualification. In the adult population 14.2 percent have a bachelor's degree or higher, 30.4 percent have some form of secondary qualification as their highest qualification and 22.4 percent have no formal qualification. Just over half the population identify as Christians, with Hinduism, Buddhism and Islam being the most significant minority religions. New Zealand has no state religion and just over a third of the population do not have a religion. Farming is a major occupation in New Zealand, although more people are employed as sales assistants. Most New Zealanders are on wage or salary income, with a median personal income in 2006 of $24,400. Unemployment was at 6.8 percent during the June 2010 quarter and most New Zealanders do some form of voluntary work. Language English is the predominant language in New Zealand, spoken by 98 percent of the population.[50] New Zealand English is mostly non-rhotic with an exception being the Southern Burr found principally in Southland and parts of Otago.[51] It is similar to Australian English and many speakers from the Northern Hemisphere are unable to tell the accents apart.[52] In New Zealand English the short i (as in kit) has become centralised, leading to the phrase fish and chips sounding like "fush and chups" to the Australian ear.[53] The words rarely and really, reel and real, doll and dole, pull and pool, witch and which, and full and fill can sometimes be pronounced as homophones.[54][55][51] Some New Zealanders pronounce the past participles grown, thrown and mown using two syllables, whereas groan, throne and moan are pronounced as one syllable.[56] New Zealanders often reply to a question or emphasise a point by adding a rising intonation at the end of the sentence.[57] After the Second World War, Mori were discouraged from speaking their own language (te reo Mori) in schools and workplaces and it existed as a community language only in a few remote areas.[58] It has recently undergone a process of revitalisation,[59][60] being declared one of New Zealand's official languages in 1987,[61] and is spoken by 4.1 percent of the population.[50] There are now Mori language immersion schools and two Mori Television channels, the only nationwide television channels to have the majority of their prime-time content delivered in Mori.[62] Many places have officially been given dual Mori and English names in recent years. Samoan is the most widely spoken non-official language (2.3 percent),[n 2] followed by French, Hindi, Yue and Northern Chinese.[50][63][n 3] New Zealand Sign Language is used by approximately 28,000 people and was made New Zealand's third official language in 2006

Education Education follows the three-tier model, which includes primary schools, followed by secondary schools (high schools) and tertiary education at universities or polytechnics. The Programme for International Student Assessment ranked New Zealand's education as the seventh highest in 2009 .[66] The Education Index, published with the UN's 2008 Human Development Index and based on data from 2006, listed New Zealand at 0.993, tied for first with Denmark, Finland and Australia. Primary and secondary schooling is compulsory for children aged 6 to 16, with the majority attending from the age of 5.[68] Early leaving exemptions may be granted to 15 year old students that have been experiencing some ongoing difficulties at school or are unlikely to benefit from continued attendance.[69] Parents and caregivers can home school their children if they obtain approval from the Ministry of Education and prove that that their child will be taught "as regularly and as well as in a registered school".[70] There are 13 school years and attending public schools is free.[70][71] The academic year in New Zealand varies between institutions, but generally runs from late January until mid-December for primary and secondary schools and polytechnics, and from late February until mid-November for universities. New Zealand has an adult literacy rate of 99 percent,[72] and over half of the population aged 15 to 29 hold a tertiary qualification.[68][n 4] In the adult population 14.2 percent have a bachelor's degree or higher, 30.4 percent have some form of secondary qualification as their highest qualification and 22.4 percent have no formal qualification Religion Christianity is the predominant religion in New Zealand at just over half of the population at the 2006 New Zealand Census,[74] although regular church attendance is probably closer to 15 percent.[75] In the 2006 Census, 55.6 percent of the population identified themselves as Christians, while another 34.7 percent indicated that they had no religion (up from 29.6 percent in 2001) and around 4 percent affiliated with other religions.[76][n 5] Immigrants make up 80 percent of most of the non-Christian religions,[77] with the traditional Mori religion, Judaism (24 percent immigrant) and Bah' (20 percent immigrant) being the exceptions.[78] The traditional religion of the indigenous Mori population was animistic, but with the arrival of missionaries from the early 19th century most of the Mori population converting to Christianity.[79] In 2006, 2,412 Mori still identify themselves as adhering to traditional Mori beliefs.[74] The main Christian denominations are Anglicanism, Roman Catholicism, Presbyterianism and Methodism. There are also significant numbers of Christians who identify themselves with Pentecostal, Baptist, and Latter-day Saint churches and the New Zealand-based Ratana church has adherents among Mori. According to census figures, other significant minority religions include Hinduism, Buddhism, and Islam.[63][80] New Zealand has no state religion and freedom of religion has been protected since the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi

Income New Zealand's early economy was based on sealing, whaling, flax, gold, kauri gum, and native timber.[82] During the 1880s agricultural products became the highest export earner and farming was a major occupation within New Zealand.[83] Farming is still a major employer, with 75 000 people indicating farming as their occupation during the 2006 census,[84] although dairy farming has recently taken over from sheep as the largest sector.[83] The largest occupation recorded during the census was sales assistant with 93,840 people.[84] Most people are on wages or salaries (59.9 percent), with the other sources of income being interest and investments (24.1 percent) and self-employment (16.6 percent).[85] In 1982 New Zealand had the lowest per-capita income of all the developed nations surveyed by the World Bank.[86] In 2010 the estimated gross domestic product (GDP) at purchasing power parity (PPP) per capita was roughly US$28,250, between the thirty-first and fifty-first highest for all countries.[n 6] The median personal income in 2006 was $24,400. This was up from $15,600 in 1996, with the largest increases in the $50,000 to $70,000 bracket.[90] The median income for men was $31,500, $12,400 more than women.[91] The highest median personal income were for people identifying with the European or "other" ethnic group, while the lowest was from the Asian ethnic group. The median income for people identifying as Mori was $20,900.[92] Unemployment peaked above 10 percent in 1991 and 1992,[93] before falling to a record low of 3.4 percent in 2007 (ranking fifth from twenty-seven comparable OECD nations).[94] Unemployment rose back to 7 percent in late 2009[95] and was 6.8 percent during the June 2010 quarter.[96] The 2006 census reported that while the proportion of people with no source of income was the same as 2001, the number of people receiving the unemployment benefit dropped 48 percent.[85] Most New Zealanders do some form of voluntary work, more women volunteer (92 percent) than males (86 percent).[97] Home ownership has declined since 1991, from 73.8 percent to 66.9 percent in 2006. What people in New Zealand are like The ethnic make-up of the New Zealand population is diverse, with a mix of Pasifika people (people from the Pacific region), Asian, Middle Eastern, Latin American, European, and Mori ethnic groups. People in New Zealand are generally friendly and many love sports and the outdoors. Mori Mori make up approximately 16% of New Zealand's population. Mori societal structure is made up of three levels: the individual whnau or family, which is connected through whakapapa (genealogy) to a hap (or a subtribe), which in turn is connected to an iwi (or main tribe) and then back to the ancestral waka or canoe.

Whakapapa is important to Mori as it:

o o o o

is a source of identity confirms family relationships connects Mori with the land is the heart of Mori culture

Both Mori and English are official languages, with English the main language spoken.

Cultural differences New Zealanders do some things differently to other Nationalities. Some of the differences include:

Generally New Zealanders are casual and relaxed, and dress informally on most occasions, including when we go to cafes or shopping. Many New Zealanders have a quite direct and frank way of speaking. New Zealanders are not always punctual for social occasions. Don't be concerned or offended if someone says they will meet you at, for example, 1.30pm and they don't arrive until 1.45pm. Appointments are made in advance to see professional people (e.g. to see a doctor or lecturer). People are usually very happy to answer questions, so don't be shy. Personal privacy is important and subjects such as salary, mortgages and age are not often discussed by New Zealanders. These topics are not usually discussed outside of the family. Sometimes New Zealanders can be offended if people stare (look closely) at them and it may be considered rude and aggressive. Sometimes New Zealanders can be offended by personal comments such as "you have put on weight", "she is skinny" or "his hair is very grey". Generally people in New Zealand, especially adults, like to hear people say "please" and "thank you" when paying for goods and services or when help has been given. New Zealanders find spitting and littering offensive. Some can get upset if they see people do this. New Zealanders mostly speak quietly when on public transport or in public spaces, even when with friends. Many New Zealanders have pets, most commonly a cat or dog. New Zealanders can be passionate about sport - particularly rugby. Playing sport is a great way to make friends. Schools, institutions/education providers may be open on Saturdays or Sundays but classes will rarely be held on these days. Young New Zealand people (over 18 years of age) often get together in pubs, bars or cafes rather than in restaurants, which can be costly. It is acceptable not to drink alcohol when socialising.

Tipping is not expected in New Zealand. Some cafes and restaurants have a container for tips. Generally, New Zealand people do not bargain when they go shopping, but for larger items such as cars, whiteware, electrical appliances or even bicycles there can be a range of prices and it is acceptable to ask for a discount for cash. It may be acceptable to bargain at open-air markets. New Zealanders don't carry much cash as electronic methods of payment are widely used.

Etiquette and Customs Meeting and Greeting . Greetings are casual, often consisting simply of a handshake and a smile. . Never underestimate the value of the smile as it indicates pleasure at meeting the other person. . Although New Zealanders move to first names quickly, it is best to address them by their honorific title and surname until they suggest moving to a more familiar level or they call you by your first name. Maori meeting and greeting . Maori stand on ceremony and have distinct protocols regarding how visitors should be welcomed and seen off. . If the business dealings are with a tribal group (Iwi) the welcoming protocols may be practiced through the process of Powhiri a formal welcome that takes place on a Marae. . A Powhiri can take between 30 minutes to 2-3 hours depending on the importance of the event. . It begins by calling the visitors onto the area infront of the traditional meeting house. Visitors should walk as a group and in silence expect if they have a responding caller to reply to the home peoples caller (usually an older woman). . A Powhiri dictates where people sit, in what position in their group, and who speaks. . In most cases, but not all, you will notice the men are seated forward and only males speak. There is a tension between the men and women on this matter and in a few places this has been resolved and you will see both genders stand to speak. In the interests of not causing friction in your business dealings, always follow the lead of the home people. . The welcoming speeches are given by the agreed speakers of the home people and always end with the most revered speaker or elder.

. Speeches are given in the Maori language and each one accompanied by traditional song. You may not understand what is being said but you can rest assured it is likely to be from the best orators in the group and often very complimentary. . The visitors are expected to have at least one speaker reply on their behalf. . If possible, the speaker should prepare a learned opening in Maori it is critical that he/she focus on the pronunciation. Mispronounced words often result in whispers and sniggers and is considered disrespectful. It is better to have a very short opening said well, than a long one said badly. . The speakers reply should never be about the detailed purpose of the visit nor should it be to self-promote as this would be considered arrogant. . The speaker should use the opportunity to briefly show respect to the place that they stand (ie. the location), to the houses (the traditional carved meeting house and dining room are named after ancestors and so are greeted accordingly), to greet the home people, and to explain where his/her group have come from (place is important to Maori). This should be followed by a song from the visitors country that the visitors group should sing together. . The Powhiri can be daunting to visitors and can be fraught with traps that may offend. This is why most visitors seek the assistance of a Maori person to guide them. . Once the last elder of the home people has spoken, they will gesture the visitors to come forward in a line to shake hands, kiss (once) on the cheek or hongi (touch noses) with the home people. . Following this the kitchen is ready to call people in to eat. . Following the food, the meeting proper can begin. . While this seems to be a set routine, I have been to many a Powhiri where variations of this occur. It pays to be vigilant and to follow the lead of others, or to discreetly ask questions if unsure. Gift Giving Etiquette . If invited to a Kiwi's house, bring a small gift such as flowers, chocolates, or a book about your home country to the hosts. . Gifts should not be lavish. . Gifts are opened when received. Dining Etiquette . New Zealanders are casual as is reflected in their table manners. . The more formal the occasion, the more strict the protocol. . Wait to be told where to sit. . Meals are often served family-style. . Keep your elbows off the table and your hands above the table when eating. . Table manners are Continental -- hold the fork in the left hand and the knife in the right while eating. They will not look askance, however, if you adopt American table manners. . Indicate you have finished eating by laying your knife and fork parallel on your plate with the handles facing to the right.

Maori Dining Etiquette . Following a Powhiri, the visitors will be asked to the dining room (a separate building to the carved meeting house) to sit to eat at long tressle tables. . They should not eat until the food has been blessed or an acknowledgement said by an elder of the home people even if the food is getting cold. . Visitors should try to enable the home people to sit amongst them to chat and get to know them while eating. . Often, younger people will be serving and older people will be working in the kitchen. . It is important to realise that in most cases they are working voluntarily and it is appropriate to formally and publicly thank them near the close of the meal before leaving the dining room to begin the meeting. As a result of this, the visitors may be light-heartedly asked to sing. . To sing a song from your home country would show respect and thanks.

Business Etiquette & Protocol

Relationships & Communication . New Zealanders can be somewhat reserved, especially with people they do not know. . Once they develop a personal relationship, they are friendly, outgoing and social. . Do not appear too forward or overly friendly. . They respect people who are honest, direct, and demonstrate a sense of humour. . They trust people until they are given a reason not to. . If this happens in business the breach will be difficult to repair and business dealings may cease or become more difficult. Business Meeting Etiquette . Appointments are usually necessary and should be made at least one week in advance by telephone, fax or email. . It is generally easy to schedule meetings with senior level managers if you are coming from another country if the meeting is planned well in advance. . It can be difficult to schedule meetings in December and January since these are the prime months for summer vacation. . Arrive at meetings on time or even a few minutes early. . If you do not arrive on time, your behaviour may be interpreted as indicating that you are unreliable or that you think your time is more important than the person with whom you are meeting. . Meetings are generally relaxed; however, they are serious events. . Expect a brief amount of small talk before getting down to the matter at hand. . If you make a presentation, avoid hype, exaggerated claims, hyperbole, and bells and whistles. New Zealanders are interested in what people 'can do' not what they say they can do. . Present your business case with facts and figures. Emotions and feelings are not important in

the New Zealand business climate. . Maintain eye contact and a few feet of personal space. Negotiations . The negotiating process takes time. . Do not attempt high-pressure sales tactics. . Demonstrate the benefits of your services or products rather than talking about them. . Start your negotiations with a realistic figure. Since this is not a bargaining culture, New Zealanders do not expect to haggle over price. . Kiwis look for value for their money. . Do not make promises you cannot keep or offer unrealistic proposals. Kiwis do not generally trust people who have to oversell! . They are quite direct and expect the same in return. They appreciate brevity and are not impressed by more detail than is required. . Agreements and proposals must state all points clearly. All terms and conditions should be explained in detail. . Stick to the point while speaking. . Kiwis appreciate honesty and directness in business dealings.