Businesses and industry groups will be able to access the latest management thinking and research expertise with the launch of the Institute for Business Research at the University of Waikato.

The new institute, to be launched at separate functions in Hamilton and Tauranga, draws on the expertise of researchers at Waikato Management School, ranked the number one business school in the country for research quality.

IBR Director Dr Stuart Locke says the IBR will work with a range of clients, from industry groups and government agencies to some of New Zealand’s biggest companies, in areas ranging from innovation to economic impact analysis.
“The key challenge facing NZ Inc today is how we are going to increase productivity and provide sustainable profitability into the future,” he says.
“The IBR offers a significant and internationally recognised depth of research expertise that can make a valuable contribution in this context.”

The IBR’s four main areas of interest are business performance and leadership, agribusiness and innovation, business in the service sector, and business in society.

Recent and current projects include supply chain integration, the uptake of sustainability practices by New Zealand businesses, the impact of cultural support in the workplace, and adding value to businesses through improved technology investment.

The IBR is also home to the Management Research Centre, which in conjunction with the New Zealand Institute of Chartered Accountants (NZICA), compiles the annual New Zealand Business Benchmarking Survey of more than 5,000 small businesses. It also works with clients to provide tailored business performance studies.  

“Through the IBR, we can now offer research, advisory and consultancy services to help businesses and organisations add further value to what they do,” says Dr Locke.

Keynote speaker at the IBR launch events is Professor David Hensher, an international authority on urban transport issues and the role of private partners in infrastructure developments.

Professor Hensher FASSA is the Founding Director of the Institute of Transport and Logistics Studies (ITLS) and Professor of Management at the University of Sydney.