Kia ora.

Welcome to the Waka Tohu Research Project website

Waka Tohu was a 4-year project led by Māori research company Mana Taiao Ltd.
The project began in the 2002/2003 year and was completed in 2006.

This project addressed 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 followed this line of research because we believed that Māori businesses possess a cultural heritage that provides a unique competitive advantage in the current era of global brands and markets.

Out of that cultural heritage we derive traditional Māori principles such as manaakitanga and kaitiakitanga, which might also be applied in business thereby providing a further point of difference and an advantage for Māori business and product branding.

We believe that the results of the Waka Tohu project show that there can be a new approach in export promotion, through the competitive advantage, innovation, and market creation that can be derived from Māori branding.

Our goal was to build on the FRST investment in this project of $1.5m to a point where it had 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).
 
 They keys are here in the research. It's up to you to use them to open the door to opportunity. 
 
Please direct any questions or feedback regarding the Waka Tohu project to buddy@manataiao.com
 
 
 Additional Links:   New Zealand Thinking 
 
                              Maori In Business