WESTERN MANAGEMENT MODELS ARE NOT WORKING FOR OUR PEOPLE

Rod Williams Managing Director of Gongan Consultancy presented at Government House, Brisbane to a group of 60 guests at the roundtable discussions on ‘Partnership for Indigenous Success’ hosted by her Excellency Ms Quentin Brice, Governor of Queensland in partnership with the Global Foundation, 28th May 2008.

Western management models that purely focus upon improving business efficiencies and business ‘monetary’ profits are just not working for Non western cultures. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have a holistic approach to family and community well being and consider the communal impact that the business activity may have. Developing a “corporate fit” to ensure wealth creation and balance with their cultural, social, environmental and economic aspirations is essential.

Gongan Consultancy has developed three directional management planning models;

1. Gongan Cultural/ Economic Framework (bottom up approach) is utilised as a directional management tool that has culture as the core principle with a focus on gaining a holistic approach to business development by finding the right cultural, social, environmental and economic balance.
2. Gongan Corporate Planning Model (top down approach) is utilised as a management tool which ensures that corporations can negotiate a balanced long term agreement that suits their corporate direction and the Indigenous individual, community/ organisation’s aspirations. Finding a good “corporate fit” while accommodating cultural and economic aspirations.
3. Indigenous Business Network (IBN) Wealth Creation Model a simple conceptual planning tool to build and distribute wealth across all levels of the community.

• Finding the “Cultural & Corporate Fit’;
• Holistic Approach to planning;
• Bridging Communications between the Community, Corporations and Government;
• The community environment that business and government need to consider when undertaking consultations or negotiations;
• Getting the Community Business Ready; and
• The Gongan Cultural/ Economic Framework models.

• Gongan Consultancy limited marketing;
• Large Consulting Firms are still in favor over small specialist firms like Gongan; or
• Western management models will continue to be applied?