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Enterprise development: A model for Aboriginal entrepreneurs

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  05 May 2015

Bill Ivory*
Affiliation:
Office of Aboriginal Development, Darwin, Northern Territory

Abstract

Opportunities exist within the current political and economic climate to build on some of the concepts of traditional Aboriginal society, and create a working environment for enterprise development. A model or models are required not just for Aboriginal people to gain support from government or wider institutions, but for governments and other institutions to work to. When referring to voluntary organisation grass roots development in Zimbabwe, Clark argued that “projects will remain irrelevant to the majority of the needy unless used as beacons to light up pathways for others – notably the state – to pursue” (1990, p. 65). Development in Aboriginal towns and communities needs to go beyond the stage of relief and welfare, to an era of sustainable development. However as Korten argued when referring to sustainable systems development and the quest for self-managing networks, changes “in specific policies and institutions” may first need to be sought “at local, national and global levels” (1990, p. 120). Changes are gradually occurring in terms of policies, however institutions active in the field need to become more positively interactive with their clients. A model of enterprise development is being moulded to involve such institutions and their resources.

Type
Qualitative Research
Copyright
Copyright © University of Papua New Guinea and the Centre for Southeast Asian Studies, Northern Territory University, Australia 1999

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