Indigenous and Western Worldviews: The Notion of Value and Sustainability

Question 1

What is Business Sustainability?

Answer 1

The concept that businesses should create wealth and improve people’s lives without compromising the health and wealth of future generations. The long-term goal is thriving societies and ecosystems.

Question 2

Colonialism

Answer 2

Is the subjugation of one people to another, involving political and economic control over a dependent territory.

Question 3

Capitalism

Answer 3

Is an economic system based on the private ownership of property and business with the goal of profit maximization for the owners.

Question 4

Problems with the shareholder view

Answer 4

Focuses exclusively on maximising shareholder return.

Question 5

Relationality…

Answer 5

is KEY, referring to the relationship between all things and the strength of these relationships.

Question 6

Intergenerational thinking

Answer 6

Considers the impact of actions on past and future generations.

Question 7

Indigenous knowledge

Answer 7

Is holistic, relational, local, and contextualised.

Built over generations through observation, lived experiences, oral histories, and community approaches.

Systematic knowledge of planting, hunting, weather and climate, environmental conditions, medicine and health care, navigation and engineering.

Question 8

Western perspectives on value

Answer 8

are based on neoclassical economics, where the value of something is determined by market forces and the price paid.

Question 9

Indigenous perspectives on value

Answer 9

The indigenous emphasize values like consensus-based decision-making, storytelling, relationship building, and reciprocity.

Question 10

Why is there a need to question the concept of “value creation” in a society structured around colonialism and capitalism

Answer 10

Much of what is called “value creation” actually involves extracting value from one group or place to benefit others

Question 11

Indigenisation:

Answer 11

Adding or re-integrating Indigenous elements into systems and ways of thinking.

Question 12

Decolonisation

Answer 12

Removing or undoing the colonial elements embedded within systems and ways of thinking.

Question 13

Two-eyed seeing

Answer 13

A valuable approach, allowing us to move between Indigenous and Western knowledge and worldviews, recognising the merits of both.

Question 14

The social foundation

Answer 14

Encompasses the minimum social standards needed for a just and equitable society

Question 15

Doughnut Economics Combines

Answer 15

The planetary boundaries and social foundation into a single framework.

Question 16

Life Cycle Thinking

Answer 16

Involves considering the environmental and social impacts of a product or service throughout its entire life cycle

Question 17

Conceptual Life Cycle Mapping

Answer 17

A qualitative method for identifying potential impacts and opportunities for improvement

Question 18

Lifecycle Mapping involves

Answer 18

Mapping the key stages of a product’s life cycle, from raw material extraction to disposal, and considering the social and environmental issues associated with each stage.

Question 19

Businesses can use life cycle thinking to make more sustainable decisions by:

Answer 19

o Reducing impacts: Identifying and minimizing negative social and environmental impacts at each stage.

o Shifting to circularity: Exploring opportunities for reuse, recycling, and repurposing to keep materials in use for longer.

o Engaging with stakeholders: Consulting with communities and other stakeholders to understand their perspectives and concerns.

Question 20

Traditional knowledge

Answer 20

Offers valuable insights for sustainability that non-Indigenous people can learn from.

This includes understanding humanity’s place in the web of life and our responsibilities toward our relatives.

Question 21

Transitioning from a shareholder view to a systems view starts with

Answer 21

Acknowledging roles within nested systems , bounded by and embedded within environmental, social, and economic system.

Shifting from a compliance mentality of minimizing footprints to missions in relation to broader societal and planetary challenges

Question 22

Worldviews

Answer 22

A worldview can pertain to an individual, group, or society. Overall, a
worldview is a set of beliefs and values that are honoured and withheld
by a number of people.

Question 23

Indigenous worldview

Answer 23

Spiritually oriented society

There can be many truths, dependent upon individual experiences.

Operate in a state of relatedness

Land is a sacred gift from the creator.

Time is non-linear and cyclical in nature (Seasons).

Comfortability is measured by quality of ones relationships with others.

Human beings are not the most important

Amassing wealth is important for the community.

Question 24

Western World View

Answer 24

Scientific, Skeptical.

There is only one science based or Western law styled truth.

Compartmentalized society.

The land and its resources should be available for development/extraction for human benefit.

Time is linear and future orientated (months, days, years)

Comfortability is related to success and achieving ones goals

Amassing wealth is for personal gain.

Question 25

Western Knowledge is rooted in modern challenges such as

Answer 25

○ Colonialism
○ Capitalism
○ Consumerism

Question 26

Value
destruction

Answer 26

Result of a hypergrowth exit mindset, destroying societal wellbeing due to its laser focus on increasing socially
constructed exit value above all else.

Question 27

A serious pursuit of sustainable development for all will entail:

Answer 27

Indigenization

Decolonization