Making families and communities strong though small business
Making families and communities strong though small business Thesis
Institute for Sustainability & Technology Policy, Division of Arts
- Author(s): West, Mara
- Published: 2007
- Publisher: Murdoch University
- Volume: Hons.
Abstract: There have been many programs, strategies and policies regarding Indigenous affairs, developed over the years, all with the aim of improving the status of Indigenous Australians. Many of these have been identified in this research from education policies that enable individuals to develop the basic skills of reading and writing and doing and understanding mathematics to Indigenous Economic Development Strategy. The perspective of improving the economic status of Indigenous people has been explored in this thesis through identifying: • What are the key business success factors for existing remote businesses; • What are the key linkages between social and commercial motivation and outcomes in enterprises involving Aboriginal people; • What support has been provided by service agencies and how effective has this support been; • What are the sustainability factors and what are the cultural implications of sole operations versus family operations; and • How small business contributes to making family and communities strong through business. It seems that there has been little change from what was stated in submissions to the Standing Committee on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs in 1998 to the submission of the Indigenous Business Review in 2003 to what was being expressed by the two case studies used in this research. Areas that are crucial to good business development and sustainability seems to continue to be elusive to government departments and the following areas seem to pervade Indigenous businesses; • business facilitators lack business expertise, • no monitoring or follow-up support to businesses • government processes take an inordinate amount of time to approve funding which disadvantages Aboriginal people, • the need to streamline government programs into a ‘one stop shop’ to effect a more efficient process, • links to the private sector must be strengthened, and • training in business skills and knowledge. Key business success factors depend on these areas being addressed by those government departments who have a mandate for assisting the development of Indigenous business. If all of these points were implemented it would certainly go a long way to improving their dealings with Indigenous businesses and it could be assumed that there would be a lot more successful businesses.
- Urls: http://www.nintione.com.au/resource/WestM_Hons_MakingFamsAndCommsStrongThroughSmallBusiness.pdf
- Publisher Location: Perth