Maori Edge

The unique characteristics of Maori culture – which may have particular relevance during the economic downturn.

While acknowledging that Maori knew only too well “the intergenerational effects of long term unemployment and grinding poverty,” New Zealand’s Minister of Maori Affairs, Pita Sharples, claimed that Maori were “in better shape to face a recession, both economically and culturally”:

Generally our business and organisations are conservative, investment portfolios are careful; our strategic vision is shaped by building capacity and capital development. … This offers a strong platform to bring forward infrastructure, community and educational programs. There is also another aspect to our story today, which some commentators are calling the “Maori edge” - basically our comparative advantage in business.

In 2007, the Ministry of Maori Development published a fascinating report [PDF] detailing the contribution Maori businesses made to New Zealand’s economy, and attempting to define the key elements of the Maori Edge, including:

Resilience: “Economic and social events over time have disproportionately impacted Maori in a negative way. Yet on every occasion, Maori bounced back.”

Trading Culture: “Maori have a long trading history and could be considered natural traders.”

Highly contextualized interactions: “Such cultures stress relationship building and a long-term perspective. They are characterised by the use of lengthy, complex, and sometimes more formal styles and approaches to interactions.”

Dual world skills: “The ability of Maori, and Maori businesspeople, to effectively straddle dual worlds and cultures will be potentially valuable in a globalizing world.”

Freshness: “While traditional elements have begun to permeate pop culture (e.g. non-Maori celebrities sporting ta moko [tattoos]), the ease with which Maori incorporate spiritual elements with the physical world also creates appeal.”

Flexibility: “The notion of shedding irrelevant or decaying elements to get to the nub of the issue is well known to Maori.”

Modesty: “Maori are less likely to over-hype their products, practices or processes, preferring to under-promise and over deliver.”

Long-term thinking: “Maori businesses are perhaps content to eschew high-risk / high-return opportunities in favor of safer options.”

Profits: “Profit in Maori businesses is sought in an instrumental sense rather than being an end in itself. That is, surpluses are sought to apply to areas outside the normal purview of businesses. Such areas often include educational grants and other more socially oriented community-based ends that may not result in any direct or tangible benefit to the business.”

Popularity: “In simple terms, it appears ‘cool’ to be Maori, and is eagerly sought globally.”