Video revisits kiwi ‘recipe for success’

In 1986 four academics from the University of Auckland Business School published an influential book called Theory K: The Key to Excellence in New Zealand Management.

Subtitled How to be a winner the Kiwi Way, Theory K’s authors were Research Fellow Gill Ellis, Professor Brian Henshall, Dr Nick Marsh and Dr Kerr Inkson, from the Graduate School of Management.

In 1987 a companion instructional video was produced featuring business leaders from the time discussing their winning formulas.

For the first time in 30 years, a special screening of Theory K: New Zealand’s own search for excellence has been held, offering a unique look at New Zealand businesses in the 1980s, just prior to the Stock Market Crash.

The screening presented a retrospective look at the most notorious business boom in our history as well as a landmark time for the country’s business education.

Theory K was inspired by the best-selling management book of all time, In Search of Excellence by Tom Peters and Robert Waterman.

Considered a Kiwi “recipe for success” it was distilled from interviews conducted by University of Auckland MBA students with 50 of the most successful organisations in New Zealand at the time.

The research showed that top performers had many characteristics in common and Theory K outlined these recurring themes.

The book was a huge hit, rising to the top of best-seller lists and generating the instructional video featuring local firms and managers.

Filled with clips from businesses past, the special screening also included comments from three of Theory K’s authors (Kerr Inkson, Nick Marsh and Gill Ellis) as well as commentary from Tom Peters, now a University of Auckland Business School visiting Adjunct Professor who was present.