News: 30 October 07
Advancing Māori success on the internet

A three-year research project to identify successful Internet strategies to enhance the economic, cultural and social wellbeing of Māori is being undertaken through Massey University.

Doctoral student Whetu Simon has been awarded a Te Tipu Pūtaiao Fellowship from the Foundation? for Research, Science and Technology to study ways that Maori organisations are successfully using the Internet.

His research will be exploring the potential of online digital environments to support Māori e-business and to scope online business opportunities for collectively owned resources.

The study will also help plot pathways for others to follow by developing new online and digital systems aimed at enhancing Māori economic growth.

“Developing the potential of the Internet is vital for the future of New Zealand and it is important that we discover how Māori can use and benefit from the technology,” says Whetu Simon.

“Internet use globally is widespread and it will continue to become more relevant.”

His research acknowledges the potential of Māori resources to contribute to national development and issues of globalisation, technology change, the knowledge wave and Māori cultural and intellectual property rights.

Whetu Simon hopes his research will bring direct gains to collectives and individuals through the use of digital development strategies and models. He says these have potential to deliver fresh opportunities and new tools for exploring online environments and communicating globally.

Information will be collected and analysed from existing Māori development frameworks such as Māori e-business and online whanau, hapu and iwi organisations, e-marae and e-charitable trusts.

Mr Simon’s research is being undertaken through Massey University’s Centre for Indigenous Governance and Development. He completed earlier academic degrees at the University of Waikato and is of Ngāti Hikairo, Ngāti Manawa, Ngāti Porou and Ngāti Tuwharetoa descent.

The Te Tipu Pūtaiao Fellowships? scheme aims to unlock the innovation potential of Māori knowledge, people and resources, to deliver benefits to New Zealand.