Culture Training: New Zealand

Location: Oceania, which are islands in the South Pacific Ocean southeast of Australia.

Capital: Wellington. The most populated city is Auckland.

Population: 4.6 million+

Climate: Generally arid to semi-arid; temperate in south and east; tropical in north.

Currency: New Zealand Dollar

Cable Car, Wellington, New Zealand

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Culture Training: New Zealand

The PeopleHome to just under five million people, New Zealand is rich in cultural diversity. New Zealanders enjoy an easy-going lifestyle and are generally friendly and relaxed.

Ethnic Make-upNew Zealand European 74.5%, Maori 9.7%, other European 4.6%, Pacific Islander 3.8%, Asian and others 7.4%

LanguagesThe three official languages of New Zealand are English, Maori and NZ Sign Language. English is the language of day-to-day business within New Zealand, a remnant of ties to the British Commonwealth. Maori is a Polynesian language similar to the languages of other Pacific Island cultures, such as Hawaiian, Tongan and Samoan. The Maori language has been part of New Zealand and its culture since the first people came to the Islands. However, Maori has only been recognized as an official language of New Zealand since the Maori Language Act of 1987.

Maori and English are used throughout the country in various television and radio programs. As with other regions in the world where two cultures have been mixed, English has influenced Maori and Maori has influenced English. A number of words in each language have crossed in to the vocabulary of the other. Many places in New Zealand have been christened with two names — one English, one Maori (the original Maori name and the adopted English). In some cases, these names are used interchangeably.

The Values• Respect for the freedom and dignity of the individual• Modesty• Equality of men and women• Freedom of religion• A spirit of egalitarianism that embraces mutual

respect, tolerance, fair play, compassion for those in need and pursuit of the public good

• Equality of opportunity for individuals, regardless of their race, religion or ethnic background

Hiking in New Zealand

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Culture Training: New Zealand

Environmental Concerns• New Zealanders are environmentally conscious

and have a strong desire to preserve their country’s natural beauty.

• One of the major local issues is the importing of predators.

• Border controls are very tight and there are huge fines for importing food or other natural products such as wood, cane, etc.

• The local attitude toward the environment is largely influenced by the viewpoint of the indigenous population, the Maori.

• They believe that all things have a ‘mauri,’ a life force. Damage to this life force, or human attempts to dominate it, results in the mauri losing its energy and vitality, which affects the lives of people as well as the resilience of ecosystems.

• Maintaining the mauri of the environment and ecosystem resilience are equally important for sustainable development.

Communication Style• New Zealanders are very direct in the way they

communicate.• There is often an element of humor in their speech,

sometimes self-deprecating.• New Zealanders often use colorful language that

would be unthinkable in other countries.

Corporate Culture• Personal relationships are important in the New

Zealand business world. Connections are valued. An introduction by an established representative may be helpful in building a relationship.

• New Zealanders take punctuality seriously. If possible, arrive fifteen minutes early for a business meeting.

• New Zealanders will quickly get down to business. Communications will be direct, good-humored and to-the-point.

• New Zealand businesspeople tend to be pragmatic, efficient and profit-oriented. They appreciate straight-forward, open presentations. Maori Totem, New Zealand

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Culture Training: New Zealand

• New Zealanders dislike one-upmanship. Don’t overplay qualifications, rank or titles.

• Negotiations proceed quickly. Bargaining is not customary, so proposals should be presented with acceptable terms. Leave allowance for some give and take.

• New Zealanders will often negotiate major issues without over-emphasis on details. However, contracts are usually detailed and firm.

• Business cards are exchanged at the initial introduction without formal ritual.

• If you are not given a business card, it is not an insult; the person simply may not have one.

Dining and Entertainment• Always arrive on time or a few minutes early for

a dinner.• New Zealanders follow continental style dining

etiquette (fork held in the left hand; knife in right).• Barbecues, or very informal “cookouts,” are popular.

Sometimes guests bring their own meat or other items.• Lay fork and knife parallel on your plate at 5:25

position when finished eating.• Keep your hands above the table and elbows off

the table.• Offer to help with meal preparation and clean-up when

being entertained in a home.

Gifts• It is not customary to exchange business gifts during

initial meetings.

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