Frontier firms: an international small advanced economy perspective

Author

David Skilling

Date published

28 May 2020

Downloads

Frontier firms David Skilling [1.7 MB PDF]

This paper uses the international small advanced economy experience to provide perspectives on the relatively low number of frontier firms in New Zealand, as well as to identify classes of policy action that could lead to improved performance. This productivity challenge is even more acute in the wake of the economic shock caused by Covid-19, which will require New Zealand to develop more distinctive competitive advantage to compete in a low global growth environment.

The aim of this paper is to offer some perspectives on the type of policy interventions that will lead to material improvement in New Zealand’s productivity. New Zealand’s small size – and small number of large or high growth firms – makes it feasible to use this firm-focused perspective to generate specific insights on how to raise aggregate productivity.

This research was commissioned for the Productivity Commission's frontier firms inquiry.

Read the report here.

Tags Business and trade Labour market NZ productivity Technology and innovation

Publications

Filter publications by topic.

Business by the numbers

28 February 2024

Business by the numbers, is a companion report to the Commission’s Productivity by the numbers.

A family walking down on a New Zealand beach Impact Assessment Report cover

How inquiries support change

23 February 2024

Improving Economic Resilience inquiry report

20 February 2024

Māori perspectives on resilience in response to supply chain disruptions

20 February 2024

Containers piled up at a port - economic resilience main image

Governance of focused innovation policy to build resilience

20 February 2024

A cabbage tree in a storm resilience report cover

Trade data analysis 2.0

20 February 2024

Distributional impacts of shocks modelling

20 February 2024

Looking to the future

13 February 2024

Born in bad times: Economic conditions, selection and employment

31 January 2024

Annual report FY 2022/23

14 November 2023

Breaking the cycle of persistent disadvantage girls dashing through the door of their new home

Evaluation report for a fair chance for all inquiry

31 October 2023

Multidimensional disadvantage and wellbeing

17 October 2023

AFCFA quantitative report final 30July 2023 Page 001

A quantitative analysis of disadvantage

31 July 2023

Productivity by the numbers 2023

3 July 2023

Statement of intent FY 2023/27

30 June 2023

NZPC Statement of performance expectations 2023 24

Statement of performance expectations FY 2023/24

30 June 2023

Final report - A fair chance for all

20 June 2023

Causal diagrams to support ‘a fair chance for all’

3 May 2023

An illustration of people traversing two mountain ranges viewed close-up under a magnifying glass

Frontier Firms follow-on review

1 May 2023

Frontier Firms follow-on review: detailed observations

1 May 2023

Three kids jumping into the water from a pier

Annual report FY 2021/22

30 March 2023

Four people transcending a steep mountain ridge helping each other

Working together: Re-focussing public accountability to achieve better lives

17 March 2023

Three large cranes at an industrial port pictured in a sunset

A New Zealand history of shocks

28 February 2023

Issues paper - Improving Economic Resilience

28 February 2023

A learning system for addressing persistent disadvantage

27 February 2023

A boy looking into binoculars publications cover

Summary of submissions on interim report

27 February 2023

Seven kids sprinting on a green field - fair chance for all inquiry main image

Summary of talanoa session on interim report

20 February 2023

Supply chains to the last bus stop on the planet

23 December 2022

Does high-speed internet boost exporting?

21 December 2022

Haemata Wananga Feedback Report A Fair Chance for All 1 Page 01

Haemata wānanga feedback on interim report

15 November 2022

The benefits of reducing persistent disadvantage

29 September 2022

Three men on a construction site pointing to the horizon immigration inquiry main image

Evaluation of immigration settings inquiry

1 September 2022

Te puna korero cover image children lined up

Te puna kōrero: Understanding persistent disadvantage in Aotearoa New Zealand

29 August 2022

Review of the Productivity Commission's Research function FY 2020/22

29 August 2022

Cover Migration firm level productivity Page 01 v2

Migration and firm-level productivity

18 July 2022

Statement of performance expectations FY 2022/23

30 June 2022

NZPC Colonisation Racism Wellbeing Final

Colonisation, Racism and Wellbeing

9 June 2022

Immigration by the numbers

31 May 2022

Data-led approaches to identifying skills shortages

29 May 2022

Case study: Construction industry and migration

28 May 2022

Case study: Aged residential care

28 May 2022

Immigration - Fit for the future

1 April 2022

Planning for prosperity: Transparent and public immigration targets

30 March 2022

Annual report FY 2020/21

15 December 2021

A fair chance for all: Where should we focus?

1 December 2021

Together alone: A review of joined-up social services

14 November 2021

Primer to New Zealand's immigration system

8 November 2021

Cover International migration to NZ historical themes and trends

International migration to New Zealand: Historical themes & trends

8 November 2021

Impacts of immigration on the labour market and productivity

8 November 2021

The wider wellbeing effects of immigration

8 November 2021

Immigration policy: International perspectives

8 November 2021

Cover International migration to NZ future opportunities and challenges

International migration to New Zealand: Future opportunities and challenges

8 November 2021

Haemata report on wananga with Maori cover

Wānanga feedback on the terms of reference

27 September 2021

Text Ferret report on public feedback Page 01

Consultation on the Terms of Reference

1 September 2021

Scoping the terms of reference for an inquiry

19 July 2021

Evaluation of frontier firms inquiry

1 July 2021

Cover for immigration inquiry issues paper

Issues paper - Immigration, productivity and wellbeing

1 June 2021

Productivity by the numbers: 2021

27 May 2021

Exporting challenges and responses of New Zealand firms

21 April 2021

Frontier firms: Four industry case studies

21 April 2021

Picking cherries

20 April 2021

He Manukura - Insights from Māori frontier firms

20 April 2021

Focused innovation policy: Lessons from international experience

20 April 2021

An illustration of people traversing two mountain ranges

New Zealand firms: reaching for the frontier

1 April 2021

Living on the edge: an anatomy of New Zealand's frontier firms

2 March 2021

Benchmarking New Zealand's frontier firms

25 February 2021

Draft report - NZ firms: reaching for the frontier

14 December 2020

Pages from The performance of Maori firms New Zealand Work Research Institute

The performance of Māori frontier firms: a strategic management approach

4 December 2020

Pages from The dairy sector in NZ TDB Advisory

The dairy sector in New Zealand: extending the boundaries

4 December 2020

Migration and New Zealand's frontier firms

30 November 2020

New Zealand boards and frontier firms

4 September 2020

Firm dynamics and productivity growth

31 August 2020

A cost benefit analysis of 5 extra days at COVID-19 alert level 4

7 August 2020

NZ Frontier Firms: A Capabilities-Based Perspective

1 August 2020

Technological change and the future of work main illustration

Evaluation of technological change and the future of work inquiry

1 July 2020

How does monetary policy affect welfare?

30 June 2020

Statement of intent FY 2020/24

30 June 2020

Frontier firms: an international small advanced economy perspective

28 May 2020

Issues paper - NZ firms: reaching for the frontier

29 April 2020

Trust and total factor productivity

28 April 2020

Final report - Technological change and the future of work

31 March 2020

Job-to-job transitions and the regional job ladder

18 March 2020

New Zealanders' attitudes towards robots and AI

9 March 2020

Local government funding and financing main illustration

Evaluation of local government funding and financing inquiry

1 March 2020

Local government insights

19 February 2020

Draft report 5 - Technology adoption by firms

31 January 2020

Draft report 4 - Educating New Zealand’s future workforce

22 January 2020

Draft report 3 - Training New Zealand's workforce

20 December 2019

Final report - Local government funding and financing

16 December 2019

Vacant land taxes and housing supply

1 December 2019

Recovering costs from tourists to pay for mixed-use local services

1 December 2019

Subject choice for the future of work

1 December 2019

Scope and funding of local government

30 November 2019

Draft report 2 - Employment, labour markets and income

1 November 2019

Measuring the “gig” economy: Challenges and options

1 November 2019

New jobs, old jobs

16 October 2019

Draft report 1 - NZ, technology and productivity

1 September 2019

Competition and productivity

16 August 2019

Insight Economics Review of changes to council development contributions policies cover v2

Review of changes to council development contributions policies in four high-growth areas

6 August 2019

The Impacts of Job displacement on workers by education level

1 August 2019

Draft report - Local government funding and financing

4 July 2019

Unemployment insurance: what can it offer NZ?

1 July 2019

Productivity by the numbers: 2019

7 June 2019

How funding and financing affects productivity

1 June 2019

Implications for three-waters reform

1 June 2019

Analysis of local government cost drivers

16 May 2019

Report on land based local tax systems

15 May 2019

Analysis of the current and past use of council rating tools in New Zealand

7 May 2019

Local government funding and finance – Accounting and financial management issues

1 May 2019

Issues paper - Technological change and the future of work

18 April 2019

Final report - State sector productivity

1 March 2019

Firm dynamics and job creation: revisiting the perpetual motion machine

14 February 2019

Growing the digital economy in Australia and New Zealand

14 February 2019

Innovation in primary healthcare

1 February 2019

The tax-benefit interface

1 February 2019

Productivity in developed Asia-Pacific: A firm-level perspective

24 December 2018

A Note on Construction Worker Migration to New Zealand 1962-2018

14 November 2018

Local government funding and financing inquiry v2

Issues paper - Local government funding and financing

6 November 2018

A globe with NZ at the front surrounded by some symbols of NZ

Evaluation of low-emissions economy inquiry

1 November 2018

Health care homes: Early evidence in Wellington

1 October 2018

State sector productivity inquiry illustration

Evaluation of state sector productivity inquiry

1 September 2018

Final report - Low-emissions economy

31 August 2018

Assessing and enhancing New Zealand's productivity

1 August 2018

Insights from recent firm-level productivity research

5 July 2018

Promoting the utilisation of productivity measures

1 July 2018

Modelling the transition to a lower net emissions New Zealand - Uncertainty analysis

1 July 2018

Can the kiwi fly? Achieving productivity lift off in New Zealand

28 June 2018

Taking stock: Primary care innovation

14 June 2018

Effective Marginal Tax Rates: The New Zealand case

1 May 2018

Transitioning to zero net emissions by 2050

27 April 2018

Modelling the transition to a lower net emissions New Zealand: Interim results

1 April 2018

The Labour Income Share in New Zealand: An Update

20 March 2018

Absorptive Capacity in NZ Firms: measurement and importance

22 February 2018

Residential construction and population growth in New Zealand: 1996-2016

1 January 2018

Understanding Health Sector Productivity

15 December 2017

24 state sector productivity whats new green

Productivity measurement case study: Courts

1 December 2017

Productivity measurement case study: Ministry of Social Development

1 December 2017

Productivity measurement case study: Police

1 December 2017

The impact of RD grants on the performance of NZ firms

The impact of R&D grants on the performance of New Zealand firms

23 November 2017

Innovation and the performance of New Zealand firms

23 November 2017

Estimating quality-adjusted productivity in tertiary education

1 November 2017

Productivity measurement case study: Early childhood education

1 November 2017

Efficiency and Performance in the New Zealand State Sector

1 November 2017

Staff perceptions of performance and effectiveness in the New Zealand State Sector

15 October 2017

History of efficiency measurement by the New Zealand health sector - Post 2000

1 October 2017

Examining the UK Climate Change Act 2008

29 September 2017

Examining the UK Climate Change Act 2008

1 September 2017

Issues paper - Low-emissions economy

1 August 2017

Issues paper - State sector productivity

1 July 2017

Urban landscape with cityscape in background

Evaluation of better urban planning inquiry

1 July 2017

Cover Public Sector Productivity School Quality Adjustment v3

Quality adjusting sector-level data on New Zealand schools

1 June 2017

Social sector productivity: a task perspective

1 June 2017

4 tertiary students underneath some symbols of academia

Evaluation of new models of tertiary education inquiry

1 May 2017

Final report - New models of tertiary education

21 March 2017

Final report - Better urban planning

28 February 2017

Explaining ethnic disparities in bachelor's qualifications

20 February 2017

Legal issues in the New Zealand planning system: Reports 4-6

20 January 2017

Cover Geographic proximity and productivity convergence.jpg

Geographic proximity and productivity convergence across New Zealand firms

16 December 2016

The servicification of trade

16 December 2016

Achieving New Zealand's productivity potential

28 November 2016

Proposed modifications to urban plan-making

25 November 2016

Inquiry Into Better Urban Planning – Revenue Funding Options

17 November 2016

Commentary on draft report - New models of tertiary education

27 September 2016

McDermott Consultants draft report cover

Culture and Capability in the New Zealand Planning System

1 July 2016

Financial incentives for local development

1 July 2016

Better urban planning: Report from Māori Built Environment Practitioners Wānanga

17 June 2016

Legal issues in the New Zealand planning system: Reports 1-3

14 June 2016

ProductivCommission Urban Planning Council Survey Report

1 June 2016

Subjective wellbeing in New Zealand: Some recent evidence

9 May 2016

What can complexity theory tell us about urban planning?

27 April 2016

Tertiary students illustration in orange

Issues paper - New models of tertiary education

1 February 2016

Cover History of tertiary education reforms

History of tertiary education reforms in New Zealand

12 January 2016

Productivity Symposium transcript

1 December 2015

Better urban planning urban landscape in orange

Issues paper - Better urban planning

1 December 2015

A townscape with hills and sea in the background

Evaluation of using land for housing inquiry

1 December 2015

Evaluation of more effective social services inquiry

1 December 2015

Final report - Using land for housing

21 October 2015

Final report - More effective social services

15 September 2015

More effective social services inquiry illustration

Case study: Employment services

15 September 2015

Case study: Whānau Ora

15 September 2015

Case study: Services for people with disabilities

15 September 2015

Case study: Home-based support for older people

15 September 2015

The economics of social services

15 September 2015

Machinery of government and cross-agency coordination groups

15 September 2015

Do New Zealand firms catch up to the domestic productivity frontier?

30 June 2015

The impact of R&D subsidy on innovation

29 June 2015

Measuring the innovative activity of New Zealand firms

29 June 2015

New Zealand’s productivity growth

29 May 2015

Firm dynamics and job creation in New Zealand

29 May 2015

Land use regulation in New Zealand

1 May 2015

Handing back the social commons

1 April 2015

The labour income share in New Zealand

5 February 2015

Reform of the UK’s decumulation market

21 January 2015

Issues paper - Using land for housing

1 November 2014

A townscape with communal space in orange

Issues paper - More effective social services

1 October 2014

Evaluation of regulatory institutions and practices inquiry

1 October 2014

Final report - Regulatory institutions and practices

16 July 2014

Case study: Aged care regulation

1 July 2014

New Zealand's international trade in services

5 June 2014

Trade over distance for New Zealand firms

5 June 2014

Structural change and New Zealand’s productivity performance

5 June 2014

Final report - Boosting services sector productivity

1 June 2014

Evaluation of boosting services sector productivity inquiry

1 June 2014

Accountability and performance monitoring of regulatory Crown entities

28 May 2014

Infographic How high are New Zealand prices v2

Explaining international differences in the prices of tradables and non-tradables

21 May 2014

An international perspective on the New Zealand productivity paradox

16 April 2014

The prices of goods and services in New Zealand

1 March 2014

Analysis of regulatory workers

1 March 2014

Regulator chief executives’ perceptions of regulatory regimes

1 March 2014

Case study: Environmental Protection Authority

1 February 2014

Investigating New Zealand-Australia productivity differences

19 December 2013

Findings from a national survey of New Zealand businesses

10 December 2013

Pages from NZPC Conway Meehan Productivity by the Numbers

Productivity by the numbers: the New Zealand experience

20 September 2013

Issues paper - Regulatory institutions and practices

1 August 2013

Evaluation of towards better local regulation inquiry

1 August 2013

Housing affordability in New Zealand

16 July 2013

Better local regulation inquiry illustration

Final report - Towards better local regulation

13 May 2013

Online appendix: Primer on local government coordination

13 May 2013

The effect of Auckland's Metropolitan Urban Limit on land prices

28 March 2013

How integrated are the Australian and New Zealand economies?

28 March 2013

Evaluation of strengthening trans-Tasman economic relations inquiry

8 March 2013

Data compendium: Business and council survey results

1 December 2012

Final report - Strengthening trans-Tasman economic relations

30 November 2012

A: Trade in goods

30 November 2012

B: Transport services

30 November 2012

C: Foreign direct investment

30 November 2012

D: People movement

30 November 2012

E: Economy-wide modelling of economic integration

30 November 2012

F: Mutual recognition of imputation credits

30 November 2012

G: Modelling the effects of mutual recognition of imputation credits

30 November 2012

Better local regulation inquiry illustration in orange

Issues paper - Local government regulatory performance

1 July 2012

Evaluation of international freight transport services inquiry

1 May 2012

Housing affordability inquiry illustration

Evaluation of housing affordability inquiry

1 May 2012

Final report - International freight transport services

24 April 2012

Issues paper - Strengthening economic relations between Australia and NZ

1 April 2012

Final report - Housing affordability

30 March 2012

International freight services illustration in orange

Issues paper - International freight transport services

1 July 2011

Load more publications