Diane Ruwhiu

Biography

After several years in purchasing and logistics with the Royal New Zealand Airforce, Diane ventured south to Otago and completed her under-graduate degree and Masters in Commerce as well as a Post Graduate Diploma in Tourism. Today Diane teaches strategic operations and supply chain management at under and post-graduate levels. In addition, she also introduces Māori values and practice into other areas, such as entrepreneurship, research methods, business communication, and organisations and sustainability. Diane's PhD, 'The Sleeping Taniwha: Exploring the practical utility of kaupapa Māori in firm performance', engaged with the premise that improved Māori firm performance and sustainable advantage, are not merely an outcome of economic activity, but are also determinants of the value derived from combinations of distinct Māori socio-cultural resources and capabilities.  

Research Interest

  Indigenous (Māori) business and organisation - Indigenous forms of knowledge in organisational practice (business communication, entrepreneurship, business ethics, leadership, etc.) and research (research methodology). How do Māori businesses maintain and control the integrity of their product and services in the global value chain? Indigenous business education - What constitutes quality Indigenous business education? What are the consequences for business curriculum development? How do Indigenous values enhance business curriculum and better prepare our students to work in an increasingly diverse and multicultural world? Maori mining and mineral exploitation – What are the basic issues iwi, hapu and whanau have to consider when, (1) approached by a 3rd party in relation to mining or mineral exploration, and, (2) they want to commercialise or develop capabilities in the mining sector? Third sector/community organisations, particularly those that operate with dual governance structure (Māori and PākÄ“hā) – How do we manage the tensions (not necessarily negative) to achieve better performance outcomes? How do we ensure the kaupapa of the organisation is maintained with integrity? Supply Chain Management - including the role of corporate social responsibility and SCM Operations Management – specifically, the combination of distinctly socio-cultural resources & capabilities and how these may inform performance measurement