The web-based survey of 927 Kiwis, two-thirds of them living overseas, found a growing number were "pushed" out of New Zealand by a mixture of low pay rates, student debt and limited career opportunities.
And many wanted better support for fledging firms, a growth-oriented tax system revamp and greater investment in education.
One respondent said: "It's not that they leave - it's that they don't come back. We encourage young New Zealanders to explore the world and be independent; the problem is that there is no incentive to return and bring those experiences back and apply them to New Zealand."
More than 80 per cent of those surveyed raised pay levels as an issue, particularly the interaction between wages and student debt.
One said: "I left New Zealand to get some money to pay off [my] student loan. It increased due to interest charges while working. Saw little choice. Now I won't come back."
Mr Poole's $10,000 advertisement read: "The reality is the big OE has now become long-term loss which the country's decision-makers cannot ignore."
Controversy arose when Prime Minister Helen Clark accused the Business Roundtable of orchestrating an anti-Government campaign.
But more support of business was one of the main themes of the survey.
One respondent said: "New Zealanders have much more opportunities available to them elsewhere. We need to generate more business in New Zealand in order to get people to come back.
"Areas such as research and development need attention ... We have so many smart people, but there isn't the venture capital to pass on to these people with great ideas."
Professor Wilson said the survey tapped the feelings and attitudes of a large group of young, educated, professional Kiwis.
"Almost all the respondents felt too much attention was currently focused on leaving," she said.
"Where, they ask, are the incentives to attract the New Zealand diaspora back, as Ireland and other fast-growing economies have modelled in the last two decades?"
Mr Poole said the survey bore out the concerns expressed last year, and Professor Wilson said it reinforced the continuing need to assess why talented people left and never returned.
"We can't pretend we don't need these people, we do," they said.
Mr Poole told the Herald in October that the idea for the advertisement stemmed from his own experiences.
Many of his friends were overseas and showed no sign of wanting to come back.
The message spread via e-mail and about 1000 people responded. A total of 700 put their names to the letter and were later re-contacted for the survey.
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