Horizon Research Buys Polling Service ShapeNZ

In New Zealand, online specialist Horizon Research has acquired the ShapeNZ public polling service from the Sustainable Business Council (SBC). Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

ShapeNZ was established by the SBC in 2006, offering a 14,000-member panel through which to gauge the public's opinions on major policy issues.

Horizon Principal Graeme Colman (pictured) says the acquisition will add to his firm's ability to research and fully weight nationally representative population samples, while also enhancing its HorizonPoll and Horizon Research Mâori Panels.

SBC believes the sale will reduce its own costs, while improving its research capacity: as part of the deal, Horizon will now conduct public issues research for the SBC.

Web sites: www.horizonpoll.co.nz and www.nzbcsd.org.nz .