Int. J. Business Innovation and Research, Vol. 1, No. 3, 2007 267 Copyright © 2007 Inderscience Enterprises Ltd. Representations of excellence in New Zealand micro-enterprise Tanya Jurado and Claire Massey* New Zealand Centre for SME Research Massey University Private Bag 756 Wellington, New Zealand E-mail: t.r.jurado@massey.ac.nz E-mail: C.L.Massey@massey.ac.nz *Corresponding author Robyn Walker Department of Management Massey University Private Bag 11–222 Palmerston North, New Zealand E-mail: R.J.Walker@massey.ac.nz Abstract: This paper reports on a qualitative study on micro-enterprises and firm performance where we adopt a social constructionist approach to analyse responses to the question: ‘What does business excellence mean to you?’ Most owner-managers found the term to be meaningful, but standard business excellence frameworks were unfamiliar and viewed as irrelevant by some. Our analysis shows excellence for managers of micro-enterprises is a relationship-driven phenomenon represented in terms of personal values, good service, personal satisfaction and positive relationships with clients. Frequently these characterisations are presented against the ‘other’ of business-in-general. That managers of micro-enterprises construct business excellence differently from accepted models has implications for government policy affecting micro-enterprises. Policy must recognise the special character and diversity of micro-enterprise and attempt to negotiate meaningful interaction that will enable the aspirations of both micro-enterprise and Government to be met. Keywords: micro-enterprises; business excellence; firm performance; New Zealand; best practice; government policy. Reference to this paper should be made as follows: Jurado, T., Massey, C. and Walker, R. (2007) ‘Representations of excellence in New Zealand micro-enterprise’, Int. J. Business Innovation and Research, Vol. 1, No. 3, pp.267–280. Biographical notes: Tanya Jurado has an MA in History from Auckland University and a Postgraduate Diploma in Business and Administration from Massey University. She has worked as a Research Assistant at the New Zealand Centre for SME Research on a variety of projects that covered topics including the supply and demand of management capability, micro-enterprises and business excellence, SMEs and trust, and SMEs and the support infrastructure.