USE conferences provide a forum to enhance understanding of small enterprises and have a unique focus on the well-being of both people and business. USE2013 focused on sharing knowledge about transforming understanding of small enterprises into practice to help create healthy working lives in healthy businesses. This was reflected in the conference theme: From USE to action: transforming our understanding of small enterprises into practise to create healthy working lives in healthy businesses.

Over 100 delegates from 22 countries attended USE2013.  There were 82 presentations in 21 Sessions (including Concurrent Sessions, Streams, Workshops, Round Table Discussions and Posters).  These showcased the latest research on the work environment in small businesses. A diverse range of themes covered issues such as the informal sector, agriculture, governmental influence, practical tools, evaluation of interventions to ethics and CSR. 

Seven internationally renowned keynote speakers  shared their wisdom: Professor Peter Hasle, Professor David Caple, Professor Kazutaka Kogi, Associate Professor Felicity Lamm, Dr Hans-Jeurgen Bischoff, Associate Professor Ian Laird and Dr Kirsten Olsen. Professor David Walters was scheduled as a keynote speaker but was unable to attend.

USE2013 offered a friendly, relaxed setting for delegates to develop and share their research and experiences, rekindle networks and make new friends and research partners. The conference encouraged attendance by cross-disciplinary participants with an interest in small businesses, particularly quality of working life and work environment, including: academics, researchers, practitioners, consultants, owners and managers of small enterprises, social partners, government officials and policy makers.

Special Issue of Journals

We have secured agreements from the general editors of two journals:  Safety Science and Small Enterprise Research, to prepare Special Issues concerned with Health and Safety in Small Enterprises. Some of the papers from the proceedings are well suited for revision and submission to the Special Issues. Details of how to submit a paper to these special issues can be found here.

Social programme

The social programme of USE2013 was also a great success, starting with an informal get together, followed by an exciting welcome function in an old boathouse overlooking the estuary at sunset and a real ‘WOW’ for the conference dinner at the World of Wearable Arts and Vintage Car Museum. Some photos  may be found here.

Exploring Nelson and New Zealand 

Many delegates took advantage of the fabulously sunny weather to go hiking and kayaking (wearing hats of course) before or after the conference and to visit the Nelson Farmers market - all small tourist and craft businesses, including eating the local hairy and tasty kiwifruit. I promised to EAT my HAT if it was not sunny. Fortunately it was sunny the whole time during the conference, so I did not have to EAT my HAT. But if it had been rainy, I would have eaten my local Kiwifruit - it is Edible And Tasty (EAT) and Hairy And Tasty (HAT)! 

Next Conference

I am pleased to announce that the next conference will be in Groningen in the Netherlands, 21-23 October 2015.