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A Trans-Tasman business elite?

Australian National University and University of Oxford, nicholas.harrigan{at}politics.ox.ac.uk

Shaun Goldfinch

University of Otago and American University of Sharjah, UAE

This article examines the close relationship between the Australian and New Zealand business communities to ask whether the relationship is best characterized as simply a bi-lateral trading relationship, or whether there is evidence of the formation of a transnational business community. This article also seeks to explore the nature of Australia—NewZealand integration, and specifically the degree to which the relationship is interdependent or asymmetrical. Data are drawn from quantitative sources — including a dataset developed from the IBISWorld's Largest 2000 Enterprises in Australia and New Zealand, Who's Who in Australia, and Who's Who in Business in Australia — and qualitative sources, including interviews with business and policy elites. Our findings are that the relationship between the Australian and New Zealand business communities is much deeper than a bi-lateral trading relationship, but also falls short of forming one transnational community. We also find that the relationship is substantially asymmetrical in nature, raising concerns among a number of New Zealand business executives about New Zealand sovereignty.

Key Words: Australia • business community • business elites • foreign investment • New Zealand • Trans-Tasman

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Journal of Sociology, Vol. 43, No. 4, 367-384 (2007)
DOI: 10.1177/1440783307083231


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This Article Abstract Free Full Text (Free PDF) Free Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in Web of Science Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Saved Citations Download to citation manager Request Permissions Request Reprints Add to My Marked Citations Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Citing Articles via Scopus Google Scholar Articles by Harrigan, N. Articles by Goldfinch, S. Search for Related Content Social Bookmarking                         What's this?