New Zealand already has excellent renewable energy credentials but still wants to set its sights higher – a vision endorsed by Prime Minister Ardern. Taking advantage of its ‘geographical luck’ in the words of one commentator, New Zealand already produces 80% of its electricity from renewable resources; hydro, geothermal and land-based wind power. Auckland, Wellington […]
You’ve got a job and you know it inside out. You’re performing well but you are starting to wonder should you be doing more? Even if you love your job, you probably don’t want to stay in the same position forever. To keep evolving and learning, you have to make a change. But that doesn’t […]
First came machines and steam power, then came mass production and electricity. Soon, it was computers and automation. Now we’re looking at a general trend of vast amounts of data exchange, in which robots and computers will redefine every sector across the globe. It’s been dubbed Industry 4.0. What is Industry 4.0? Industry 4.0 is […]
Business buzzwords invade boardrooms, emails, marketing meetings and can even pop-up on company websites. These words are overused to the point they no longer have any impact. Everyone is guilty of using these words to some degree – yes, that’s everyone. Here are six business clichés you should ban from your office forever. Innovation Innovation […]
Heavy workloads, long hours and pressure to meet work targets can get the better of anyone, including you. Even when you’re passionate about your work, you can still burnout. When left unchecked, work stress can become a real issue and have a negative effect on our lives. It’s not always easy to avoid the tensions […]
Following the recent Auckland Trade Me’s Business Event, our construction consultants Kathryn Evans & Carol Kelly share the interesting discussions about the pressures facing the Auckland Construction industry Throughout our breakfast with economist Bernard Hickey, the hot topic discussed was infrastructure and housing. Immigration is increasing pressure on New Zealand’s infrastructure. It is estimated that New Zealand […]
No matter what you do or where you work – there’s always room to improve your efficiency. A cup of coffee may give you a short mental boost, but to reach peak efficiency levels, you need to implement longer-term strategies. You need to adopt the right mindset and have the proper tools in place to […]
Without the typical face-to-face interaction, showing your personality can be a challenge. Nowadays, many companies use video interviews to expedite the hiring process. In the digital era, more and more businesses will implement video interviews, so make sure you are ready (and get good at smiling). There are specific ways to ace a video interview. […]
The housing crisis has been a hot topic since the general election, which saw Jacinda Arden become the 40th Prime Minister of New Zealand. The crisis is well-entrenched. Rents are climbing and Auckland’s property market has become almost impossible to break into. 2018 could be an interesting year for housing. Now a new government has […]
With New Zealand’s two main economic sectors, farming and tourism, heavily reliant on access to clean water, the decline in quality is harming both agriculture and the 100% Pure New Zealand brand. Origins of the problem Much of the problem is caused by the rate of expansion in the country’s major cities. Auckland, especially, has […]
A new government report has revealed a digital divide exists in New Zealand. Some communities and households find themselves without adequate internet access. In the report, the key factor identified as influencing internet connectivity levels was household income. Along with other data, the report will serve as a valuable touchstone for the government’s work to […]
Due to the advancements of technology, certain jobs and careers will always need to be done by a human being but for others, it could only be a matter of time before artificial intelligence or robots fill in. The recent technological advancements of robotic engineering have the potential to change the world of employment as […]
The day science fiction becomes science fact may be sooner than you think. An autonomous flying taxi, that can travel up to 180km/h, has been approved for testing in New Zealand. Known as Cora, the flying taxi has been developed by Kitty Hawk, a company backed by Google co-founder Larry Page. This passenger-drone system has […]
Engineering consultant, Tom Parawa recently had the fortune to attend a breakfast seminar held by Bernard Hickey, economic columnist for the NZ Herald. In this informative event titled The Trade me jobs presentation, Bernard shared great insights into the current state of the New Zealand Economy. Cobalt’s Tom Parawa details his key learnings and in […]