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Australia & New Zealand small firms lift marketing spend
Data Protection

Australia & New Zealand small firms lift marketing spend

Despite inflation and interest-rate pressure, most small firms are boosting marketing and AI use to win customers and protect revenue.

By Joseph Gabriel Lagonsin • 5 min read • Last month

Stories from Other Regions

Business Confidence stories

UK IT firms eye defence growth as confidence rises
Supply Chain

UK IT firms eye defence growth as confidence rises

A Barclays survey found 62 per cent of IT and telecoms firms expect more defence work, but skills and funding gaps still hinder growth.

By Karen Joy Bacudo • 4 min read • 2 days ago
CIMA urges tax & skills reset to back business growth
Human Capital Management

CIMA urges tax & skills reset to back business growth

Businesses want clearer tax rules and broader training support as CIMA warns weak productivity could hold back UK growth.

By Karen Joy Bacudo • 4 min read • 5 days ago
Younger workers drive wage growth in Australia's SMBs
Small Business

Younger workers drive wage growth in Australia's SMBs

Pay rises are easing across Australia's SMB sector, but 18- to 24-year-olds still posted the strongest annual wage gains in June.

By Mark Tarre • 4 min read • 6 days ago
NZ workers slow to adopt AI, but many hide how much they use it - report
Digital Transformation

NZ workers slow to adopt AI, but many hide how much they use it - report

More than a third of New Zealand workers feel guilty about using AI, as businesses lag peers in adopting it, a report says.

By RNZ • 4 min read • This month
Irish CEOs upbeat on growth as geopolitical risk rises
Digital Transformation

Irish CEOs upbeat on growth as geopolitical risk rises

Geopolitical tensions are now the top worry for Irish bosses, even as 92% expect revenue growth and a stronger competitive position.

By Karen Joy Bacudo • 4 min read • Last month
EY survey says investors back Ireland despite wider risks
Artificial Intelligence

EY survey says investors back Ireland despite wider risks

Concerns over infrastructure and costs have not deterred foreign investors, with two-thirds planning to expand in Ireland over the next year.

By Karen Joy Bacudo • 4 min read • Last month
MYOB data points to pause in small business hiring
MYOB

MYOB data points to pause in small business hiring

Weaker demand and rising wage costs are leaving most SMEs in a holding pattern, with few planning to add staff over the next year.

By Karen Joy Bacudo • 4 min read • Last month
Lloyds survey: UK financial firms boost AI spending
Data Analytics

Lloyds survey: UK financial firms boost AI spending

AI and emerging tech are becoming a growth priority for UK lenders and insurers, with 91% expecting higher spending over the next year.

By Karen Joy Bacudo • 3 min read • Last month
Xero finds New Zealand small business productivity lags
Manufacturing

Xero finds New Zealand small business productivity lags

New data show Kiwi small firms generating less per hour than peers in Australia and the UK, as rising costs squeeze margins.

By Karen Joy Bacudo • 4 min read • Last month
The warm-weather playbook: How small business owners turn sunny days into loyal customers
Customer Experience

The warm-weather playbook: How small business owners turn sunny days into loyal customers

Summer foot traffic gives small firms a rare chance to win loyal buyers with banners, uniforms and merch, if they act quickly.

By Erin Shea • 6 min read • Last month
Canadian entrepreneurship falls as credit strain rises
Small Business

Canadian entrepreneurship falls as credit strain rises

More firms are missing lender payments even as start-up activity slumps, underscoring pressure on Canadian small businesses and credit markets.

By Karen Joy Bacudo • 6 min read • Last month
UK small business profits rise as late payments bite
Manufacturing

UK small business profits rise as late payments bite

Cash-flow strain is deepening for UK SMEs, even as profits rose 7.4% and nearly half of invoices were still overdue, Sage said.

By Karen Joy Bacudo • 4 min read • Last month
UK innovation firms eye growth at home despite delays
Data centers

UK innovation firms eye growth at home despite delays

Delayed procurement is making revenue visibility harder for UK innovation firms, even as 56 per cent plan their next growth phase at home.

By Sean Mitchell • 5 min read • Last month
MYOB says Australian SMEs stay in growth territory
Supply Chain

MYOB says Australian SMEs stay in growth territory

Rising costs and weaker spending left many small firms under pressure, even as national SME activity still managed quarterly growth of 0.6%.

By Karen Joy Bacudo • 3 min read • Last month
Australian consumer confidence stays deeply negative
Managed Services

Australian consumer confidence stays deeply negative

Higher borrowing and living costs have pushed household sentiment close to the survey's weakest level in 50 years.

By Mark Tarre • 4 min read • Last month
New Zealand businesses shift from recovery to resilience
Digital Transformation

New Zealand businesses shift from recovery to resilience

Confidence among New Zealand firms is being driven more by productivity and investment than hopes of a return to pre-pandemic normality.

By Joseph Gabriel Lagonsin • 3 min read • Last month
Hays finds most Australian AI users lack formal training
Manufacturing

Hays finds most Australian AI users lack formal training

Most Australian workers using AI at work have had no formal training, leaving security, privacy and skills gaps as adoption races ahead.

By Mark Tarre • 5 min read • Last month