New Zealand Business Culture: Navigating the Cultural Barriers of the Maori and the Non-Maori New Zealanders

Abstract

In a globalized world where international communication is essential for any company that is striving to stand out and achieve success, it is not surprising that many companies opt to establish partnerships with an international company. Doing business with foreign communities entails a series of challenges when different cultures are faced with the reality that they differ in certain aspects and need to find a middle ground to be able to understand each other clearly. New Zealand presents an interesting situation within business environment since this nation is composed of two ethnic groups of distinct origins – non-Maori New Zealanders and the Maori – which raises the question on how business is carried out in this prosperous country. The purpose of this article is to analyze the business world in New Zealand and explore the differences between these two main ethnic groups in themes such as the cultural values and the importance of heritage in business, business etiquette, linguistic features, the dress code and market features