New book highlights Auckland's business history

10 March 2006

New book highlights Auckland's neglected business history

A long-overdue book on Auckland's business history is the latest initiative of The University of Auckland Business History Project.

City of Enterprise: Perspectives on Auckland's Business History was launched today by DB Breweries Managing Director Brian Blake during the Business School's Business History Symposium 2006: "Lessons from the Past, Informing Future Management and Entrepreneurship".

Published by Auckland University Press, the book sets Auckland's business history in the wider context of national economic growth and includes cutting-edge studies on various aspects of that history.

Written by top scholars, chapters cover maritime history, leading companies, the timber trade, newspapers, Màori enterprise, the accounting and the stock and station agent industries.

An afterword by Professor Emeritus R.C.J. (Russell) Stone, "Auckland Business, 1841-2004: Myth and Reality," sets the record straight on Auckland's productive contribution to New Zealand.

Co-editor Ian Hunter, Senior Lecturer in the Department of Management and Employment Relations and an experienced business historian, says the book is part of a larger project by the Business School to reinvigorate the research, teaching and dissemination of business history.

"City of Enterprise vividly demonstrates the insights as well as the lively interest this type of history, too long neglected, can provide. The overriding goal of the Business History Project is to highlight the themes, ideas and lessons from the past and stimulate discussions about how we can best advance the practice and theory of management and entrepreneurship."

Ian's co-editor is Diana Morrow, a professional historian and editor. The other authors include John Singleton; Dr Hazel Petrie; Dr Gavin McLean; Dr Michael Keenan; Associate Professor Ken Jackson; Dr Gordon Winder, Professor Simon Ville; Dr Stephen (SRH) Jones and Dr Rachel Morley.

The 264-page hardcover book is lavishly illustrated and retails for $49.99.

ENDS

© Scoop Media