Māori business leaders are feeling upbeat about their performance. Photo: RNZ
Māori business leaders are feeling upbeat about performance, driven by a stronger primary sector.
The latest edition of accounting firm BDO's Pūrongo Pakihi Māori, the Māori Business Sector Report, showed nearly two thirds of Māori business leaders were positive about current overall business performance - second only to the agricultural sector.
BDO Māori business sector leader Solomon Dalton said the upbeat sentiment reflected the strong presence of primary sector firms amongst Māori businesses.
"A lot of our businesses are in the primary industry, which has had strong performance over the last few years," Dalton said.
However, beyond the primary sector, Māori businesses faced challenging conditions.
"Managing cash flow remains a key priority for Māori business leaders," Dalton said. "However, we're seeing cautious optimism about the future."
"What will be key over the next six months is more certainty around economic conditions in helping unlock potential business growth by encouraging more Māori business leaders to invest in their people and resources - helping stimulate the wider economy."
Dalton encouraged firms to look at cash flow as they navigate challenging periods and work in 12 week cycles.
He said firms could also look to make investments that could save money long-term.
"Our BDO Pakihi Māori team are seeing a growing adoption of solar technology and the transitioning of business fleets to EV vehicles, not only bringing cost efficiencies for Māori businesses but also supporting their climate responsibilities," Dalton said.
Māori business leaders felt least positive about external economic factors, followed by financial performance and climate risk.
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