Treaty of Waitangi significance on New Zealand business
Business in the New Zealand context offered comprehensive insights and established a pathway to wide-ranging Maori and Non-Maori businesses. It is the value of the Treaty of Waitangi (TOW) that people in New Zealand business operate across well-equipped practice areas to offer commercial, strategic as well as regulatory propositions (Came, Cornes & McCreanor, 2018). New Zealand organisations exhibit a high level of commitment towards Maori clients and relentlessly endeavour to develop the way the New Zealanders work. Such behaviour not only signifies efficiently understanding clients but further proving a high level of assurance and loyalty to sustainable associations and improving the way organisations competently offer services to the client in these areas (Wilson, 2017). The following paper will evaluate the significance of principles laid by the Treaty of Waitangi in the New Zealand business operations. Furthermore, the paper will significantly explore ways in which these principles of the TOW have impacted and will pose implications in the potential strategies of the Rotorua Lakefront development plans.
The Treaty of Waitangi (TOW) is identified as an exclusive agreement of New Zealand that was signed between the Queen of England and the Maori chiefs as a significant covenant during the 1840’s (Came, Cornes & McCreanor, 2018). The primary purpose of the Treaty was to facilitate the British colonisers and the Maori communities to live in an amalgamation in New Zealand under the implication of a universal set of regulations and agreements. Martin, (2015) denotes that the TOW serves significant impact as it efficiently ensures rights and authorities of both the Maori and Pakeha communities. Furthermore, one of the criticalities of the Treaty lied on successfully identifying the possessions and rights of Maori land and properties and further protecting their lifestyles and other possessions (Wilson, 2017). The TOW also held the government accountable for addressing the grievances of Indigenous people and further establishes egalitarianism and fairness among the population of New Zealand.
The TOW thus has been posing significant implications on New Zealanders in several ways specifically in ways they have been operating their businesses. Stark, (2015) reveals that the influx of British colonizers in New Zealand led to the loss of land from the Maoris . However, the principles set by the TOW ensure the rights and authorities of Maori resulting in the establishment of large settlements from monetary terms and land. Several iwi communities have been employing such strategies to proficiently execute business and further comprise vital employers in New Zealand such as Wakatu Corporate (Wilson, 2017). The TOW principles further serve critical roles in New Zealand business as it tends to offer the Maori communities with similar authorities as the Pakeha concerning executing businesses. However, Jacobson et al., (2016) mention that there can be found no concrete list of treaty principles. Furthermore, official documents referred to the treaty values and beliefs through generalized terms without incorporating the actual treaty transcript. Such a decision was made as the English, and Maori versions of the agreement do not provide direct translations of each other thus resulting in higher levels of misinterpretations.
Working with Maori business
Brown, (2014) found that acknowledging the Treaty can be beneficial for the New Zealanders not only regarding employing people from Maori communities but also execute its business with Marion enterprises. Reports reveal that Maori enterprises comprise around 2% of the nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) with approximate annual revenue of over 2.5 billion dollars. However, as the Treaty’s principles of participation significantly correspond to the incorporation of Maori practices values and dealing directly with the Maori and as well as execute business can be identified as a valuable insight into the way the principles are implemented and exercised into practice (Jacobson et al., 2016).
Studies by Stark, (2015) state that by 2021, almost half of the New Zealand Maori population is estimated to be around 25 years of age or younger. The statistics, however, indicates that represents youthful cultural patterns and will be identified as a fundamental asset in the ever-ageing workforce. For example, additional insight into the statistics reveals that Maori youth aged 15 to 24 are estimated to represent around 26% of the total New Zealand youth population or younger labour force (Brown, 2014). As a result, by preventing these transitions and harnessing the skills and expertise as well as exuberance which Maori possess, organisations in New Zealand will be able to establish a firm groundwork for prospective growth in both local as well as international market. However, there are certain aspects which are not commonly been applied in contemporary business practices is the use of spirituality. Kelsey, (2015) noted that spirituality along with an elevated ethical responsibility tends to have a direct impact on the company’s business success. For example, a particular Maori spiritual procedure is recognised as uplifting Tapu from a worksite or piece of machinery that has been incorporated in an accident causing death (Brown, 2014). However, in such critical scenarios, there can be witnessed forms of casualty which can result in an unconstructive work environment as a whole. However, eradication of tapu is regarded as a form of cleansing ritual facilitating the spirits to be augmented from the region where the casualty has taken place. Thus this can be recognised as procedures that can be implemented by all employees and can further develop a sense of concluding the situation (Martin, 2015).
Lake Rotorua is known as the largest lake in the Bay of plenty region along with the most productive and resourceful trout fishery in New Zealand (Kelsey, 2015). With the town Rotorua on its shores it is much significant for its visual cultural as well as recreational values and thus is utilised by locals and tourists at a considerable rate. However, reports on Rotorua lakefront reveal that the longest running environmental issue has been the decline in water quality related to the release of nitrogen and phosphorus from land use activities. According to Smith et al., (2016) this has resulted in Lake Rotorua to be degraded and get affected sporadically from algal blooms. Webster & Cheyne, (2017) state that such a decline in water quality has been posing and constructive impact on fisheries and tourism and thus is consequential to the business revenue and sales for the Maori communities.
Rotorua lake significance on local communities
This in the view of Field et al., (2015) has led the Maori community to raise their voice against the decline in water quality transport the recent development of the Lakefront. The Rotorua lake development, however, is crucial for Te Awara, who viewed the Rotorua lakefront as taonga. Their association with TeArawa lakes along with the environment continues to be essential foundations for their social recognition, integrity as well as Tikanga and Kawa (Smith et al., 2016). The recent lake development in Rotorua has been identified as a developmental approach that has been taken to reduce nutrient loss from urban commercial as well as the rural land of the Maoris and further restore and safeguard the quality of the Rotorua Lakes.
Rotorua lakefront and its approach towards urban sustainability signify in-depth interconnectedness between cities and Maori communities with the natural environment (Field et al., 2015). Globally recognised for its natural environment, Toronto Royal lakefront has been taking significant strategies towards social equality water custodianship and sustainable as well as appropriate economic development. Rotorua current lake development is identified to be much in correspondence with a global perception that all stakeholders are required to be integrated into driving at both local levels as well as social-cultural and economic level (Webster & Cheyne, 2017).
Lake Rotorua in adherence to the principle of partnership according to the Treaty of Waitangi has aimed to undertake the legacy in the lake and further curtail the impact of high nutrient. The current lake development of nutrient reduction targets of around 250 tonnes of Nitrogen and 10 tonnes of phosphorus for current input to Rotorua lake is estimated to be achieved in a 20-year timeframe (Martin, 2015). The new developmental approach has been related to the cultural enhancement of the Maori communities by incorporating Tiara narratives and celebrating the past as well as the future of the local communities by connecting land to the lake (Webster & Cheyne, 2017). Rotorua projects’ primary strategy lied on preserving the natural environment of the area and further ensuring that the developments are successfully positioned on the lakefront which would further improve the area for the future generations of the Maoris.
Smith et al., (2016) stated that the recently strategised developmental plan of Lake Rotorua has involved indigenous communities in determining the issues which may need to be addressed for the improvement of the Rotorua district. The development of the strategy with local communities has been proposed to attend an understanding of any issues and challenges along with the perceived and fairness in the current Regime of various other stakeholders (Field et al., 2015).
Conclusion
Therefore, from the above discussion, it can be stated that the recent Rotorua Lake development has been essentially strategist according to the principle of participation mention in the Treaty of Waitangi to determine the cultural identity and improve employability rate of the Maori communities. As Maori values correspond to inclusion, harmony and cooperation participation, they tend to form a strong foundation for the organisations’ direction in New Zealand. Such incorporation of spiritual procedures also reinforce employee associations and has thus proven to be highly efficient and still considerably unevaluated tool while intending to seek for a competitive advantage in the industry.
References
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Field, B. D., Lawrence, M. J., Nicol, A., McNamara, D., Arnot, M. J., Coyle, F., … & Bunch, M. A. (2015). Feasibility of storing carbon dioxide on a tectonically active margin: New Zealand. In AAPG International Conference. American Association of Petroleum Geologists.
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Martin, B. (2015). Te Tiriti o Waitangi principles for shared governance: From the Foreshore to Freshwater. State of the P?keh? Nation: Collected Waitangi Day Speeches, 14.
Smith, V. H., Wood, S. A., McBride, C. G., Atalah, J., Hamilton, D. P., & Abell, J. (2016). Phosphorus and nitrogen loading restraints are essential for successful eutrophication control of Lake Rotorua, New Zealand. Inland Waters, 6(2), 273-283.
Stark, R. A. (2015). Treaty over the teacups: an exploration of teacher educators’ understandings and application of the provisions of the Treaty of Waitangi at the University of Canterbury, College of Education. A thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Degreeof Master of Education in the University of Canterbury.
Webster, K., & Cheyne, C. (2017). Creating Treaty-based local governance in New Zealand: M?ori and P?keh? views. K?tuitui: New Zealand Journal of Social Sciences Online, 12(2), 146-164.
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