Cultural Issues in Business Practices: Closing the Gap Between Aboriginals and Non-Aboriginal Australians

This essay discusses the impact of colonisation on the socio-economic status and well-being of Aboriginal Australians, focusing on the cultural issues in business practices and the need to close the gap between Aboriginals and non-Aboriginal Australians.

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200425 Economics: Assignment 2: Q1 2019
Cultural Issues in Business Practices: Closing the Gap Between Aboriginals and Non-
Aboriginal Australians

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Introduction
The sovereignty and economic well-being of the aboriginal Australians is significantly
affected by the seven destructive phases by colonisation. The historical awareness of the
colonisations significantly informs about the oppression and inequities that Australian
aboriginals have faced. Various scholars and researchers have conceptualised that
colonisation had been a multi-layered phenomenon consisting of seven different parts and
their negative impact on socio-economic status of Aboriginal people. This essay will follow
the framework of seven distinct phases of colonisation that have impacted the socio-
economics aspects of life of Indigenous people and will discuss that how indigenous people
are still unable to achieve the similar socio-economic status as non-indigenous population.
& Distinct Parts of Colonisation and its Link With Aboriginal History
Studies have identified that there is a significant gap between the socio-economic outcomes
of Indigenous and non-Indigenous population of Australia. This gap has occurred due to the
different detrimental effect of the history of colonisation and lack of sovereignty among
Indigenous people. Therefore, without clear and detailed understanding of the colonial
causations and the different phases of colonisation that affected Indigenous people, remedies
for closing the gap could not be developed (Alford and Muir 2004).
The first part of the process of colonisation is the incursion of the colonisers in the
geographical areas. In this phase the colonisers acquired the lands of Indigenous people and
the customs, belief, legends and stories of the Indigenous people originally experienced a
sense of denial. Alford and Muir (2004) and Austin-Broos and Macdonald (2005) also
identified that colonisation also affected their health and well-being, because the invasion of
the white settlers brought many diseases with them and their destructive policies generated
the sense of isolation among indigenous people.
The second distinct part of the process of colonisation was the destruction of the socio-
economic structures of the Indigenous groups. Alford and Muir (2004), identified that social
and economic destruction was led by the dispossession of lands, displacements from their
own lands, suppression of their religious systems, belief, culture and languages and
destructions of the families and kinship tradition through Stolen Generations. This
significantly affected their sense of well-being, as the colonisation affected their emotional
and economic dimensions. According to Clark, Frijters and Shields (2008), “Income matters

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for wellbeing not just because of what it allows one to consume, but also for the way it
positions a person in society” (p. 137).
The third distinct part of colonisation was the increased external political control, for
example, colonisers refused to enfranchise Indigenous peoples at Federation, they were
denied their right to vote and were treated as children and idiots (Alford and Muir 2004). In
the current situation, this phase of colonisation increased their welfare decency (Altman
2006), which became the fourth phase of the process of colonisation. The effect of the
economic dependency was that Aboriginal Australians became economically dependent on
the mainstream for their own welfare and wages due to the destruction their economic system
(Biddle 2011). Some of the direct consequences of this phase was increased unemployment
and poverty. The indirect consequences of this economic dependence were poor mental and
physical health, increased substance abuse and poor self and community esteem.
Alford and Muir (2004) identified that fifth phase of the process of colonisation was the
availability of the inadequate social services for socially and economically dependent
colonised groups, which led to disparities in health and education. According to Paradies
(2016) Such disparities continue to increase the level of unemployed population within these
groups and lack of policies for their productive engagement continued to separate them from
mainstream economic system. The massacre and genocide led to the feelings of frustration
and anger among the survivors and affected their mental health (Understanding the 7 phases
of Aboriginal history and the 5 stages of dying).
Another significant aspect or the phase of colonisation was the deterioration of social
interaction among the Indigenous and non-Indigenous population, which resulted in the
increase in racism, discrimination and biases (Alford and Muir 2004). Racism and
discrimination are some significant aspects that affect the mental well-being and increases
anger and anxiety. Alford and Muir (2004) had defined racism as “Racism represents an
underlying ideology or set of distorted attitudes that perpetuate myths and myopic policies”
(p. 102). Racism and discrimination also result in refusing the assess to effective, social and
economic activities.
Racism negatively affects the mental well-being and normal functioning of individuals.
Lower level of socio-economic participation, unemployment and lose of family members
reduces the level of emotional well-being (Biddle 2011). The seventh phase of the process of
colonisation was that resistance of Indigenous people towards the accumulating effects of

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colonisation is weakened over time. Although there has been a strong resistance towards land
dispossessions, but destructive force of colonisation had resulted in long-term and cumulative
effect on social, emotional and spiritual well-being of Indigenous people. Alfred (2009) has
also identified that colonisation has increased state dependency for Australian Aboriginals,
impacting their economic status.
Cultural Self-Concept and Its Implication in Diverse Economic Environment
The key cultural issues, biases and racism also influence the self-concept for Indigenous
people. Biddle (2011) identifies that individual’s own agency and ability to make life choices
is significant for enhancing their social and economic participation. However, the destruction
of culture, religion, languages and customs have affected the capabilities and abilities of the
Indigenous people and due to this Indigenous people are even unable to meet their and their
family’s dietary needs. Capability approach to welfare is significant for developing positive
self-concept and to overcome external environment constraints for their participation in
economic context (Alfred 2009).
According to the reading- ‘Understanding the 7 phases of Aboriginal history and the 5 stages
of dying’, policies and programs developed for Indigenous people have failed to recognise
their traditions, values, belief and customs that are significant for positive cultural self-
concept and confidence. This is the reason that sense of depression affects these people due to
the loss of culture and beset the Indigenous people in all socio-economic aspects. The crisis
of identity due to the loss of traditions and culture is something that needs attention for
enhancing subjective well-being and developing the concept of capabilities (Biddle 2011).
Framework for Greater Cultural Awareness and for Resolving Complex Economic
Issues
A framework for developing better cultural awareness can be derived from the inclusion and
study of the seven phases of process of colonisation in policy making for enhancing cultural
awareness. The next step should be to develop the treaties that can codify the right, self-
determination and sovereignty of Aboriginal people. The third step would be increase public
expenditure on health, education and employment for Indigenous people. Strength based
capacity building for regional and local communities and ownership of intellectual properties
can enhance Indigenous participation (Altman, 2004). Strengthening the political system is
also a significant aspect of resolving complex economic issues.

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Conclusion
This essay focused on discussion the seven phases of the process of colonisation and its
impact on the culture, well-being and socio-economic status of Aboriginal Australians. The
impact of colonisation could be identified on the life of Aboriginal people, as it destructed
their lifestyle religion, languages, customs, laws and society as whole. The impact of
destructive history was seen in the form of poor well-being, confidence and reduced
resistance. The cultural attitudes and biases, such as racism and discrimination had resulted in
isolating Aboriginal people and thus impacting their socio-economic status and resulting in
poor self-concept. Cultural attitudes result in causing depression, isolation, stigma and anger,
which beset Aboriginal people from achieving economic stability and remains excluded from
the mainstream economic system. Therefore, the detailed analysis if the history of
colonisation and its impact on the life and well-being of the Aboriginal people remains
significant for understanding their presence in economic system and for promoting their
contribution.

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References
Alford, K. and Muir, J., 2004. Dealing with unfinished Indigenous business: the need for
historical reflection. Australian Journal of Public Administration, 63(4), pp.101-107.
Alfred, G.T., 2009. Colonialism and state dependency. International Journal of Indigenous
Health, 5(2), pp.42-60.
Altman, J., 2006. The Future of Indigenous Australia: Is there a path beyond the free market
or welfare dependency. Centre for Aboriginal Economic Policy Research, Australian
National University, Canberra. Compendio internacional de prácticas, 185.
Altman, J.C., 2004. The economic status of Indigenous Australians. ‘The economic status of
Indigenous Australians’. ANU Centre for Aboriginal Economic Policy Research (CAEPR).
Accessed 13 February, 2019. Available from:
https://openresearch-repository.anu.edu.au/bitstream/1885/40098/2/2000_DP193.pdf
Austin-Broos, D. and Macdonald, G., 2005. Culture, economy and governance in Aboriginal
Australia. In Proceedings of a workshop of the Academy of Social Sciences in Australia held
at the University of Sydney (Vol. 30).
Biddle, N., 2011. Measures of Indigenous wellbeing and their determinants across the
lifecourse. Income, Work and Indigenous Livelihoods.
Clark, A.E., Frijters, P. and Shields, M.A., 2008. Relative income, happiness, and utility: An
explanation for the Easterlin paradox and other puzzles. Journal of Economic
literature, 46(1), pp.95-144.
Paradies, Y., 2016. Colonisation, racism and indigenous health. Journal of population
research, 33(1), pp.83-96.
Understanding the 7 phases of Aboriginal history and the 5 stages of dying.

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