Invoking indigenous wisdom for management learning

Abstract

Management thinking today, based in neoliberalism, gears economies, businesses, and whole societies toward constant material growth and achievement of wealth, defined as monetary or financial wealth. In terms of management learning, the dominance of the managerialist/capitalist ideology reinforces existing dominance structures that have long suppressed the voice—and values—of Indigenous peoples. Drawing from work by Indigenous scholars, we focus on the Indigenous wisdom which has the potential to offer a very different form of economy and different sets of managerial values that orient businesses and other institutions towards fostering relationship, responsibility, reciprocity and redistribution for shared wellbeing. Perspectives from Indigenous wisdom can push focus away from today’s neoliberalism and “(hu)man”-dominating-nature mindsets, evident in Western cultures, towards more holistically integrated approaches. In the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic, we argue for a pivot towards recognizing, collaborating with, integrating, and renewing management and business school mindsets by incorporating Indigenous wisdom to build a world in which all—including non-human beings—can flourish.