Title: Representations of excellence in New Zealand micro-enterprise

Authors: Tanya Jurado, Claire Massey, Robyn Walker

Addresses: New Zealand Centre for SME Research, Massey University, Private Bag 756, Wellington, New Zealand. ' New Zealand Centre for SME Research, Massey University, Private Bag 756, Wellington, New Zealand. ' Department of Management, Massey University, Private Bag 11–222, Palmerston North, New Zealand

Abstract: This paper reports on a qualitative study on micro-enterprises and firm performance where we adopt a social constructionist approach to analyse responses to the question: |What does business excellence mean to you?| Most owner-managers found the term to be meaningful, but standard business excellence frameworks were unfamiliar and viewed as irrelevant by some. Our analysis shows excellence for managers of micro-enterprises is a relationship-driven phenomenon represented in terms of personal values, good service, personal satisfaction and positive relationships with clients. Frequently these characterisations are presented against the |other| of business-in-general. That managers of micro-enterprises construct business excellence differently from accepted models has implications for government policy affecting micro-enterprises. Policy must recognise the special character and diversity of micro-enterprise and attempt to negotiate meaningful interaction that will enable the aspirations of both micro-enterprise and Government to be met.

Keywords: micro-enterprises; business excellence; firm performance; New Zealand; best practice; government policy.

DOI: 10.1504/IJBIR.2007.012111

International Journal of Business Innovation and Research, 2007 Vol.1 No.3, pp.267 - 280

Published online: 21 Jan 2007 *

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