This research focuses on an exploratory workshop aimed at integrating Indigenous Knowledge into Canadian business schools to support Indigenous student recruitment, retention, and graduation. The workshop employs a participatory research approach aligned with developing a Theory of Change, acknowledging the complexities and challenges of incorporating Indigenous perspectives. It emphasizes avoiding assumptions about cultural knowledge and respecting Indigenous principles, ensuring Indigenous Peoples are central to the research.

The workshop will use the United Nations Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF) to guide the development of a Theory of Change, focusing on systems thinking, adaptation, partnering/networking, and communication. The event will involve various stakeholders, including university administrators, faculty, students, and Indigenous business leaders, to identify barriers to change, necessary steps for enacting change, assumptions, risks, partners, key actors, and ways to monitor progress. The goal is to create a tailored theory of change for bringing Indigenous perspectives into business education.

Documents:

• Call for Research Proposals [PDF, English]

This study prepared by David Newhouse, Carolee Cosgrove, Jane Gray, Robin Quantick, Asaf Zohar and Christine Brown (School of Business and Chanie Wenjack School for Indigenous Studies, Trent University) is supported by the Business Schools Association of Canada and funded through its research grant competition program.