Home occupations in middle New Zealand: Causes and effects

Abstract

1. This report studies factors affecting the trend for individuals in medium sized urban areas to work from home instead of commuting to the city to work. 2. A quantitative research questionnaire was prepared and respondents, mainly selected from the Rotorua District, were surveyed by phone. Only two of the people contacted would not participate. Of the 19 respondents, 15 had home-based businesses. 3. The reasons people choose to work from home are primarily in relation to lifestyles, for example spending more time with family and flexible hours, and economic, such as lower operating costs. Technological advancements, such as the telephone, have also facilitated the trend. 4. The results of this research may be used as a reference for those seeking to make an informed decision for their own work environment. 5. This study could be extended to include other small cities in order to validate these findings by increasing reliability of the results.