Wāhine Māori entrepreneurs and business growth: The power of social and cultural capital

Abstract

This paper examines how social and cultural capital support wāhine Māori entrepreneurs as founders to grow their businesses. The findings are based on the first of three rounds of interviews with 10 wāhine Māori entrepreneurs in Aotearoa New Zealand who have or are undergoing business growth. The results extend on previous Indigenous entrepreneurship research showing the benefits of social and cultural capital. This research highlights how wāhine Māori entrepreneurs can pursue business growth while maintaining their community and cultural identity. This topic has been selected as part of a broader doctoral study examining wāhine Māori entrepreneurs and business growth, which focuses on the cultural, social, and economic enablers and challenges.