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Awards motivate SMEs to lift performance

Potential entrants in the various categories of the Indian Newslink Indian Business Awards (IBA) 2012 will have the benefit of expert advice from a number of sponsors who offer specialist services to their clients.

Among them are Title Sponsor (and Sponsor of the ‘Best Large Business’ category and ‘Supreme Business Year of the Award’) BNZ Partners, KPMG New Zealand (Sponsor of the ‘Business Excellence in ICT’ Category) and Unitec Institute of Technology (Sponsor of the ‘Best Medium-Sized Business’ Category).

Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) constantly face the challenge of maintaining growth, market share and remain productive and profitable.

With more than 90% of New Zealand businesses in this sector, it is important that they are provided with the right incentives to be progressive, experts say.

Unitec President and Chief Executive Rick Ede agreed, saying that about 500,000 companies are classed as either small or medium size business in New Zealand.

“These companies play a unique role within our communities as employers and as organisations that help to bind our communities together,” he said.

Mr Ede said successful companies needed successful businesses and in turn, these businesses needed skilled, highly productive talent that can add real value.

“As the largest institute of technology in New Zealand, Unitec can have a strong positive impact on business and communities, but only by working in partnership to match the aspiration of students with the needs of business,” he said.

“For Unitec, sponsoring the ‘Best Medium-sized Business’ category is recognition of the vital part that these businesses play in our communities and our role in supporting and helping to build better businesses,” Mr Ede said.

Unitec has a large Indian student population from New Zealand, works with Indian-owned businesses, and recognises the contribution they make to the Auckland economy and the community, he said.

“At Unitec, we aspire to ensure that all our students are engaged in the learning processes and immersed in a strong work-integrated curriculum. Education is no longer about the simple transfer of information in dusty textbooks. It is about engaging students in real world issues on real projects and in real business so that the experience and knowledge they acquire is suitable and relevant to the modern working world,” Mr Ede said.

While finance and cash flow management are among the major challenges that confront SMEs, a majority of them do not have a sound business plan and a well-structured market strategy to succeed in their activities.

Organisations such as BNZ Partners and KPMG provide structured solutions to their clients, while Unitec offers courses and programmes that enable entrepreneurs to understand and appreciate management principles and implement policies and plans best suited to lift their business performance.

BNZ Partners for instance provides guidance or makes available services that include business planning, marketing, tax, finance, legislation and the steps and procedures for running a successful business.

Apart from offering assistance to start businesses, the bank’s officials regularly review their operations, progress, profitability and such other issues that would help them grow. Professional investment advice is also offered with a range of options.

KPMG also provides such services and facilities to its clients, who range from small, one-owner operated companies to large multinational organisations.

But New Zealand entrepreneurs must understand and utilise the existing and emerging opportunities in international markets as an important segment of growth.

Editor’s Note: BNZ Partners, Title Sponsor of the Indian Newslink Indian Business Awards (IBA) 2012, will host three free Workshops for entrants to the IBA 2012.

Tuesday, May 15, 2012 at 6 pm: BNZ Partners, Level 8, Room 9 (Deloitte Centre), 80 Queen Street (Auckland City).

Tuesday, June 12, 2012: at 6 pm BNZ Partners, Tamaki Room, Level 1, 86 Highbrook Drive, East Tamaki (South Auckland)

Tuesday, July 10, 2012: BNZ Partners, Board Room, 373, Great South Road, Henderson (West Auckland)

All Workshops will be held from 6 pm to 8 pm, at which Convenor of the IBA Judging Panel Chad Wilkie and BNZ officials will be present to assist and mentor entrants. To register, call (09) 5336377 or email editor@indiannewslink.co.nz

Indian Newslink Indian Business Awards 2012

Category Sponsor

Supreme Business of the Year BNZ Partners

Best Large Business BNZ Partners

Best Medium Business Unitec Institute of Technology

Best Small Business 2degrees Mobile Limited

Business Excellence in Innovation Singapore Airlines

Business Excellence in Customer Service Kalamazoo Group

Business Excellence in ICT KPMG New Zealand

Business Excellence in Marketing Radio Tarana

Business Excellence in Export to India New Zealand Career College

Business Excellence in Retail Trade

Business Excellence in Restaurant Trade

Best Young Entrepreneur of the Year Patton Limited

Best Businesswoman of the Year Triangle Television


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