Culture, control and accountability in community enterprises among the Tiwi

Abstract

This study reviews factors which have been found to affect the operation of Aboriginal enterprises in Australia and discuss these in relation to three empirical case studies of Aboriginal community enterprises located at Nguiu, Bathurst Island. In order to provide a theoretical framework within which valid questions concerning Aboriginal management might be formulated, what is generally known regarding the management and organisational development of Aboriginal enterprises was first discussed. Factors to do with historical and contemporary operations, Aboriginal attributes and the high degree of non-Aboriginal control over Aboriginal organisations were seen to be of major importance in understanding the problems for Aboriginal management and organisational development Importantly, the integrated social and economic life in communities appears to have a major impact on the success or failure of enterprise operations.