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Abstract
Fifty-three members of the New Zealand Veterinary Association took part in an Interfirm Comparison survey for the year ended on or before 31st March, 1978. Information for the survey was obtained from the answers to 92 questions put to each participant. These data were processed by computer, and each participant received four printouts showing the results for (1) his location (rural or metropolitan); (2) his type of operation (club, contract, or private practice); (3) his subgroup (sheep and beef, dairy, or small animal); and (4) the group as a whole. Each report compares results for 75 individual ratios calculated from the basic data.
These reports enabled a within-group comparison to be made, as well as a between-group comparison. This paper relates some of the ratios to a specific base to illustrate the differences. Three points emerge: 1) the data appear to have been reasonably consistent as there is reasonable consistency in the results; 2) there is quite a considerable variation in the results shown within all groups (i.e. between the better and poorer firms); 3) there is also quite a wide range of results between the groups.