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• Vote: EI&RD

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Output Class > Policy Advice and Sector Leadership > Firm Capability, Sectoral and Regional Development

This output class provides policy advice encompassing the development, evaluation and overview of economic, industry and regional development policies and initiatives to promote sustainable economic development.

This includes the development and implementation of the Government's economic transformation agenda; the researching and analysis of factors influencing the capability and performance of firms, industry sectors, and regions; undertaking work on the overall management and adequacy of New Zealand's infrastructure; and the monitoring and evaluation of New Zealand Trade and Enterprise (NZTE) programmes and services.

The following outputs are included in this output class for 2006/2007:

• Regional Development Policy - which relates to economic development in the regions of New Zealand, with a focus on policies and programmes to improve the business environment at the regional level, a key influence on individual firm performance. Key areas of focus include:
  • progressing with implementation of a refreshed framework for regional economic development policy for the future; and
  • understanding what contributes to cities performing well and applying this learning to our work on improving Auckland's contribution to New Zealand's economic performance.
• Economic Transformation - which relates to the ongoing development and implementation of the Government's cross-agency economic transformation agenda and promotion of associated activities undertaken in regions, sectors and firms. Key areas of focus include:
  • supporting the alignment of economic policy activity;
  • reviewing the National Innovation System with the intention of creating an evidence base to support the future development of innovation policy; and
  • publishing the new edition of the Economic Indicators report.
• Firm Capability - which relates to the issues that affect and influence management, business capability and overall performance at the firm level. It includes advice on the design, implementation and ongoing operation of industry programmes delivered through NZTE. Key areas of focus include:
  • contributing to Export Year 2007 by aiming to draw the links between the importance of exporting and the Government's broader economic transformation agenda;
  • promoting a well-functioning market for management and business capability development services through involvement with the Business Capability Partnership, an initiative comprising public and private representation; and
  • developing measures of innovative firm activity and examining the two-way causal relationship between practices and performance, in particular the ways firms respond (through changes in practices) to market signals of their performance.
• Growth and Innovation Advisory Board - providing support to the Growth and Innovation Advisory Board and their focus of strengthening the role of non-government stakeholders in informing the development of the Economic Transformation Strategy.
• Research, Evaluation and Monitoring - which relates to the evaluation and monitoring of industry and regional development programmes and the performance of New Zealand Trade and Enterprise and the Venture Investment Fund Ltd. In 2006/2007, this output includes the evaluation of a number of specific programmes and completion of the government's expenditure review of business assistance programmes. All programmes will be evaluated within a four-year cycle.
• Sector Policy Development - which relates to the factors that influence the level and quality of sustainable economic growth from an industry development perspective. The focus is on those factors that influence the growth of industry sectors and New Zealand's international connections, and includes the design, implementation and on-going operation of programmes delivered through NZTE. Key areas of focus include:
  • in consultation with the industry, developing the Government's response to the Food and Beverage Taskforce recommendations, including development of a work programme and addressing the key challenges identified by the Taskforce;
  • identifying the indicators, critical issues and actions (short-term and long-term) that will foster more globally competitive firms in New Zealand; and
  • in consultation with key stakeholders, develop policy and operational parameters for the Government's Buy Kiwi Made initiative.
• Major Events - provide secretariat support to the Major Events Development Fund as part of the Major Events Strategy and ensure that expenditure on approved events is properly monitored and accounted for.
• Infrastructure Advice - which relates to work on a range of infrastructure issues not covered under Votes: Energy or Communications. The work is directed to advice on improving the contribution of the transport and water sectors, and of infrastructure generally, to economic development. The Ministry also leads the development of national guidance for infrastructure under the Resource Management Act 1991 (RMA).¹⁶

Service Performance

Policy advice will be delivered as agreed with the Minister and as detailed in the Ministry of Economic Development Output Plan.

Generic quantity, quality and timeliness performance measures for all policy advice, Ministerial services and briefings supplied by the Ministry of Economic Development are detailed in Quality Standards for Policy Advice and Ministerial Servicing.

Costs: Output Class - Policy Advice and Sector Leadership - Firm Capability, Sectoral and Regional Development

Output Class > Policy Advice > Small Business

This output class provides policy advice on issues relating to lifting the capability and performance of Small and Medium Enterprises (SME), including development, co-ordination and implementation of policy advice concerning SME.

The following outputs are included in this output class for 2006/2007:

• Small Business Advisory Group (SBAG) - which relates to facilitating the work of the SBAG in considering SME issues and providing advice to the government.
• Examining how regulatory flexibility can be applied to ease compliance costs for SME.
• Communication with SME - which relates to building communication channels between government and SME, including through the SBAG, to promote the development and success of SME.

Service Performance

Policy advice will be delivered as agreed with the Minister and as detailed in the Ministry of Economic Development Output Plan.

Generic quantity, quality and timeliness performance measures for all policy advice, Ministerial services and briefings supplied by the Ministry of Economic Development are detailed in Quality Standards for Policy Advice and Ministerial Servicing.

Costs: Output Class - Policy Advice - Small Business