What are the distinctive dimensions and drivers of innovative Māori leadership and integrated decision-making? And how do these characteristics deliver pluralistic outcomes that advance transformative and prosperous Māori economies of well-being?

The NPM Foundational Project Promoting Effective Māori Leadership and Decision Making for Prosperous Economies of Well-being: Te whakatairanga i te ārahitanga whai hua me te Māori te whakatau kaupapa is focused on answering these questions.

Led by Dr Rachel Wolfgramm, and Professors' Chellie Spiller and Paul Tapsell - this research is well placed in the era of a growing Māori economy (now estimated at $50+ billion), and ongoing treaty settlements for iwi and hapū around the country, to address the increasing need for a diverse range of Māori leadership practices and expertise which grow with every year that passes.

And so, how do Māori leaders generate, embody and enact leadership to make decisions that advance prosperous and sustainable Māori economies of well-being?

Leadership and decision-making for Māori occurs within a diverse range of organisational and governance contexts including iwi, hapū, marae, not-for-profits, public sector, political, religious and educational organisations. This project is advancing the research knowledge of this Māori leadership and decision-making, whilst promoting transformative strategies that will assist Māori organisations and their leaders in building further prosperous Māori economies of well-being.

It is also identifying how tikanga Māori helps to explain and inform new ways of strategising, of “being and doing”, and how we can distinguish the critical requirements for effective leadership of Māori organisations that will lead to enhancing the economic performance of Māori communities while maintaining consistency with mātauranga and tikanga Māori.

Despite a 2020 conclusion date still more than 12 months away, ongoing outputs are already being generated from this project including multiple journal papers and chapter contributions to larger publications.

Link to Mana and the Existence of Leadership (published March 2019) to download the chapter here.

COPYRIGHT © 2021 NGĀ PAE O TE MĀRAMATANGA, A CENTRE OF RESEARCH EXCELLENCE HOSTED BY THE UNIVERSITY OF AUCKLAND