The Age of Enterprise shows how entrepreneurship and innovation transformed the New Zealand economy in the late nineteenth century and sets our experience in context with other similar developments in settler colonies such as Australia and Latin America. 

In particular, The Age of Enterprise draws on case studies and historical evidence to reveal that the small, organic, rapidly expanding firm was the potent force in New Zealand’s growth – the local, small-time entrepreneur is the hero of this story. By focusing on the shape of our economic history Ian Hunter here fills a major gap in our knowledge of the colonial period which has so far derived largely from the work of social and political historians.

Author

More about Ian Hunter 

Reviews

'The local small-time entrepreneur is the hero of this book which shows how entrepreneurship and innovation transformed the New Zealand economy in the late nineteenth century . . . a great read for people interested in the early economic life of our nation.'

— New Zealand Business