Towards understanding Indigenous economic self-determination: Empirical evidence from Indigenous entrepreneurs
About the research
The project aims to improve our understanding of Indigenous economic self-determination in order to develop hypotheses/prepositions that will be utilised in future for the development of an Indigenous economic self-determination model.
The objective is to identify and examine the different forms of social-symbolic work by which Indigenous entrepreneurs aim to achieve Indigenous economic self-determination.
Utilizing empirical information from stories of lived experiences of a range of Indigenous entrepreneurs (from the very experienced older entrepreneurs to the younger ones who have operated Indigenous businesses across and within different historical periods in different parts of Victoria), the study will provide insights into the different works Indigenous entrepreneurs have practiced i.e., how they do/have done the work and how they see this work evolve over time.
Who will the research benefit?
Indigenous entrepreneurs and their communities. This research will facilitate Indigenous entrepreneurs’ ability to share their invaluable knowledge and expertise with their immediate communities, the broader Indigenous society and academia. These will benefit from learning from Indigenous entreprenuers’ work that builds towards the achievement of Indigenous economic self-determination. This will in turn generate interest in Indigenous business/entrepreneurship on a local and international scale for Indigenous communities striving for economic self-determination.
Research team
Dr Peter Musinguzi (University of Melbourne)
Lead Investigator
Professor Michelle Evans (University of Melbourne)
Lead Investigator
Dr Dinah Hippolyte-Blake (University of Melbourne)
Research Manager
Want to learn more?
Please contact Dr Peter Musinguzi, Peter.Musinguzi.@unimelb.edu.au