A hybrid social governance Indigenous entrepreneurship model for sustainable development: the Gumatj clan innovation

Abstract

In spite of the Australian government continuing commitment to Indigenous entrepreneurship as a healthy strategy for facilitating the economic advancement and wellbeing of this disadvantaged group the initiative has had limited success. Engaging mainstream entrepreneurship, which is framed on principles to deliver personal profit and the exploitation of self-financial opportunity, is discordant with missions of non-profit, promotion of community good and allegiance to cultural sensitivities, which are the dominant social features of remote Australian Indigenous communities. Yet entrepreneurship is a pathway for responsible Indigenous development. An entrepreneurial initiative integrating the two disparate perspectives, which has been developed by an Indigenous group, is the central element of this paper. Challenges and the potential worth of this innovative Indigenous inspired commercial framework are discussed.