Resources
Better for Business (B4B) produce a range of business insights that help us identify and prioritise where we can collectively make improvements to the small business experience with government. This role has become increasingly important in the COVID-19 environment where our insights are being used to inform both policy and operational decisions.
On this page
The MBIE-led Digital Boost programme is focused on supporting more small business owners to realise the benefits of digitising their business – including making greater use of digital tools and adopting digital processes. Our research and segmentation modelling provided unique insight into the benefits and barriers to digital adoption for Kiwi small businesses.
Find out more about how the programme helps NZ small businesses.
Small Business Digital Boost bi-monthly update October 2021(external link)
Understanding New Zealand businesses and their dealings with government
Stats NZ’s annually updated business demography statistics and the Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment’s small business factsheets provide a useful introduction to NZ’s unique business landscape.
This first factsheet aims to build on those resources by adding an additional layer of insight into what NZ business look like and how they operate – using those same business demography statistics, along with findings from our research and some additional sources.
This is a snapshot of the information we consider when seeking to understand the diverse situations and needs of businesses.
Better for Business – Beyond business demography [PDF 157KB]
Date published: October 2021 — based on data collected during 2016 - 2020
In this second factsheet, we provide a short introduction into how businesses engage with government, based on the findings from our regular surveys with businesses.
Date published: October 2021 — Based on data collected during 2019
Understanding the digital capability of New Zealand businesses – A Digital Index Benchmark
This report provides a comprehensive and representative overview of NZ businesses’ current digital adoption and capability and potential future adaptability, based on research conducted with 2,280 businesses in late 2020. It introduces the ‘New Zealand Business Digital Index’, which captures these attributes in a way that enables us to monitor digital capability progress over time – including by business size and industry.
The Digital Index – which is baselined at 51/100 (as at December 2020) – is being used as a key metric to measure progress against various digital enablement initiatives across government. The methodology is based on similar frameworks used by the OECD and by Lloyd’s Bank in the UK. It includes some new analysis contributed by BNZ, revealing changes in business purchase behaviour over time.
The next New Zealand Business Digital Index Research will be available early 2022.
Date published: September 2021 — based on data collected during September – October 2020
Date published: February 2021 — Based on data collected during September – October 2020
COVID-19 Business Health Research
In May 2020 Better for Business (B4B) conducted research into the health of Kiwi businesses in the context of COVID-19. We have just completed second wave of research to test what has changed and include a deep-dive on how digitally enabled businesses are.
The field work was conducted by independent agency Research New Zealand (RNZ), with a total of 2,280 respondents. The results are weighted to be representative of all NZ businesses by both industry and size. The results are below as 2 (printable A3 size) factsheets and 1 report.
Date published: December 2020 — based on data collected during September – October 2020
Date published: December 2001 — based on data collected during September – October 2020
MBIE Small Business factsheets
The Small Business factsheet is a good reference guide. It brings together previously released data from a range of Statistics New Zealand business surveys and summarises the results relating to small businesses.
B4B Business Research Monitor
The B4B Research Monitor, running since 2014, is a biannual survey of 2,000 NZ businesses. The Research Monitor provides a unique system-wide view of the business experience of government (both local and central), and provides insight into the world of government from a business’ perspective. It is the only research of this type in New Zealand. The B4B Research Monitor is currently being leveraged to help understand and identify the support businesses require as they transition through the impacts of COVID-19 and into economic recovery.
Business Segmentation Framework
To provide additional insight, B4B has established an evidence-based Business Segmentation framework that combines robust data with in-depth interviews. 8 unique business segments have been identified, which have very distinctive needs. These are now tracked as part of our B4B research monitor.
The Small Business factsheet is a good reference guide which complements the Small Business Sector Report. It brings together previously released data from a range of Statistics New Zealand business surveys and summarises the results relating to small businesses.
If you would like a copy of our reports or more information about our Business Research Monitor or NZ Business Segmentation Framework, please contact us at betterforbusiness@mbie.govt.nz.