Kia ora.

Welcome to the Waka Tohu Research Project website

Waka Tohu is a 4-year project led by Māori research company Mana Taiao Ltd.
The project began in the 2002/2003 year.

This project addresses the innovative use of Māori business branding to increase export sales and investigates ways by which Māori businesses could substantiate and protect such branding.

We are following this line of research because we think that Māori businesses possess a cultural heritage that may provide a unique competitive advantage in the current era of global brands and markets.

Out of that heritage come traditional Māori principles such as manaakitanga and kaitiakitanga, which might also be applied in business and provide a further basis for Māori business and product branding.

We think that the Waka Tohu project can deliver innovation in export promotion, through the competitive advantage, innovation, and market creation that we believe can be achieved from Māori branding.

Our goal is to build on the FRST investment in this project of $1.5m to a point where it has the potential to return at least $75 million in new Māori export earnings. Waka Tohu will stimulate innovative business and product design in high added-value markets (wine, creative arts, horticulture, tourism, etc). 
 
Please direct any questions or feedback regarding the Waka Tohu project to maureen@manataiao.com
 
 
 Additional Links:   New Zealand Thinking 
 
                              Maori In Business