AMBH 500 Business Heritage, Culture and Sustainability
Stream A
Group Assignment One: Part A
Research Plan for an Investigation into the Contribution of the Dutch community on
New Zealand’s Contemporary Business Environment.
By: Karen Prue, Victoria Crighton, David Soper, Jasmyn Hubbard
Date: 21 March 2014
For: John O’Sullivan
Significant Historical Event in New Zealand that the Dutch community contributed to:
The Dutch people from both Holland and Indonesia were amongst the second wave of European settlers. Two Dutch immigrants contributed to the New Zealand housing situation and economy by forming a business building houses that were based on the Norwegian ancient log-cabin structure and style.
Significant Individual from the Dutch community:
Jo La Grouw a trained engineer and building contractor partnered with Jan van Loghem and together they established one of New Zealand’s largest home building companies, Lockwood Homes.
Contribution of the Dutch community to the Globalisation of New Zealand:
The Dutch community were well known for their strong work ethics and many were quite entrepreneurial which enabled many of them to enter into self-employment and small business enterprises. For example, members of the Dutch community in Southland pioneered the way in floriculture entering the export market with their quality tulips bulbs and cut tulips.
Another member of the Dutch community established a family butchery and delicatessen business which helped lead the way into the European meat and delicatessen market. This contributed to the change in New Zealand’s eating habits. Verkerk’s produce was made available through the supermarkets which enabled wider access of these products to the average New Zealand household.
Future Social Change that may occur in New Zealand within the next decade
The Canterbury rebuild has created a need to employ skilled labourers and professionals from overseas on a long term basis. This could potentially have an impact on the design and construction of commercial buildings within the Canterbury area over the next decade.
The current influx of migrant workers is quite extensive so their residency could potentially change New Zealand’s current social structure and ethnic composition. This could flow to marriages of mixed nationality bringing more bi-cultural families to New Zealand’s society. The diversity could bring more multi-cultured festivals, new concepts of eating and drinking establishments, wider educational expectations and also encourage the tourism industry of New Zealand.
References
Businessday (2011). Lockwood Founder Dies in Rotorua [Website] Retrieved March 18, 2014, from The Stuff website: http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/industries/5662312/Lockwood-founder-dies-in-Rotorua
McGill, David. (1982). The Other New Zealanders. Wellington:Mallinson Rendel Publishers Ltd.
Migration New Zealand: Canterbury Rebuild [Website]. Retrieved
