Skip to Main Content

Content

Course Tabs

Overview

Course Prescription

Ko Waipapa Taumata Rau tātou. Welcome to your study in He Manga Tauhokohoko, the Faculty of Business and Economics. This course considers how knowledge of place enhances your learning, the significance of Te Tiriti o Waitangi, and how knowledge systems frame understanding. It provides foundational essential skills to support you in your first year and future studies. It explores how Māori cultural values intersect with business practices in Aotearoa New Zealand.

Course Overview

Waipapa Taumata Rau: Exploring the Māori Economy – Business Beyond Profit is a Faculty of Business and Economics course that explores Aotearoa New Zealand’s socio‑historical context, with a particular focus on the Māori economy.

In this course, students engage with Māori business through Te Ao Māori and Aotearoa New Zealand’s bicultural foundations. The course examines He Whakaputanga and Te Tiriti o Waitangi as key frameworks shaping Māori self‑determination, governance, and economic activity. Students explore the Māori economy, including the roles of iwi and Māori authorities, and Māori values that support holistic, multi‑bottom‑line approaches to enterprise, leadership, sustainability, and decision‑making.

Through real‑world contexts, students examine how business knowledge and practice are shaped by historical, cultural, political, and ethical influences. Learning is supported by core course content, essential skills mini‑modules, and a range of videos, case studies, and supplementary readings that provide deeper insight.


A Te Ao Māori Approach to Learning

In WTRBUS100, we embrace a Te Ao Māori approach to learning. Throughout the course, whakataukī are used to highlight key ideas and to ground learning in Māori knowledge systems. Whakataukī are traditional Māori proverbs that convey wisdom and cultural values, helping students connect with Māori perspectives, encourage reflection, and support critical thinking.

This course is underpinned by two whakataukī that express its ethos.

Kia whakatōmuri te haere whakamua

I walk backwards into the future with my eyes fixed on my past.

This whakataukī reflects Māori perspectives of time, where the past, present, and future are interconnected, and life is understood as a continuous process.

Ka pū te rūhā, ka hao te rangatahi

The old net is exhausted, and the new net goes fishing.

This whakataukī speaks not only to preparing younger generations for leadership, but also to recognising when existing ways of thinking and doing no longer serve our collective aspirations. It highlights the need to weave new ideas, tools, and approaches so that present and future generations can thrive.


Assessment Kaupapa

Assessment in this course is intentionally aligned with Te Ao Māori and Māori worldviews. Students engage in assessment approaches that value oral histories, storytelling, visual expression, and collaborative ways of working, reflecting relational and holistic approaches to knowledge. Peer assessment is used as a form of co‑learning, where students share knowledge, offer constructive feedback, and learn with and from one another, reinforcing collective responsibility for learning. Assessment is also future‑focused, inviting students to work with contemporary business technologies and practices such as podcasting, short documentary filmmaking, and team‑based projects, building skills relevant to modern organisational and entrepreneurial contexts.

Key Topics

Week 1 | Whakawhanaungatanga and Academic Foundations

Getting to know one another and preparing for identity work in readiness for Individual Assignment One, alongside a refresher of key academic skills to support student success.

 Week 2 | Foundations of Intercultural Understanding and Te Tiriti

Developing core understandings of intercultural communication before examining the historical, cultural, and legal context of He Whakaputanga and Te Tiriti o Waitangi. This help place knowledge of the Māori Economy into important historical, legal, and cultural context. 

Week 3 | The Māori Economy

Building an overview understanding of the Māori economy and its scope, scale, and significance.

Week 4 | Stakeholders in the Māori Economy

Exploring key stakeholders within the Māori economy, including iwi authorities and their roles. 

Week 5 | Māori Values in Business

Understanding Māori values as they relate to contemporary business practice and future‑focused leadership. 

Week 6 | Māori Business Models

Examining distinctive Māori business models and approaches to value creation. 

Week 7 | Rangatiratanga in Business

Looking at Leadership 

Week 8 | Māori Business Showcase

Learning from real‑world Māori business case examples and lived practice. Learn from the Rangatira contributing to and driving for holistic outcomes within Aotearoa New Zealand. 

Weeks 9–10 | Short‑Film Documentary Production

Working collaboratively to design, produce, and refine short‑film documentaries. These weeks can develop practical skills and provide coaching for your group assessment.

Week 11 | Short‑Film Festival

Screening and celebrating student work through a shared film festival experience. Note: It is our clear expectation that all students films will be available to be premiered in the short-film festival.

Week 12 | Course Consolidation and Exam Preparation

Reflecting on learning across the course and preparing for the final exam.

Course Contacts

Kim Ashton kim.ashton@auckland.ac.nz

Workload Expectations

This course is a 15-point course with a final exam. This means the workload is averaged across 15 weeks. This means students are expected, on average, to spend 10 hours per week as follows:

Scheduled Teaching Sessions: There is a 2-hour learning session (Interactive Lecture) every week.

Learning Activities: A typical week also requires approximately 3-4 hours of reading of course materials before attending class and completing given tasks.

Self-Directed Time: The remaining 4-5 hours should be devoted to self-directed research and completing assessments.

Assessments include: Individual, pair, and group elements. This course also asks students to engage in peer assessment.

Course Prerequisites, Corequisites and Restrictions

Restriction

Locations and Semesters Offered

LocationSemester
City

Other Attributes

Level 7 (Diploma, Bachelors Degree, Graduate Certificate, Graduate Diploma)

Teaching and Learning

Campus Experience

Attendance will be taken at scheduled Weekly Workshops. As the Weekly Workshop sessions are live interactive learning sessions, these will not be recorded.

The assessment timetable will be published in Canvas at the start of the relevant semester. This course will have a final examination at the end of the semester (40% of final grade). Therefore, 60% of your final grade is internally assessed throughout the semester.

The course activities comprise three main components. The first component is online Workshop Preparation, which you complete online in Canvas, the University's Learning Management System, before attending class. This helps you prepare for your Weekly learning session and for completing your assessments. The second component is the Weekly Workshop that you attend in class and on campus. The final component is voluntary free support services to help consolidate your learning and prepare for your assessments.

Teaching and Learning Methods

Flipped classroom

Mixed-methods

Te Ao Maōri aligned kaupapa

Learning Resources

Taught courses use a learning and collaboration tool called Canvas to provide students with learning materials including reading lists and lecture recordings (where available). Please remember that the recording of any class on a personal device requires the permission of the instructor.

Additional Information on Learning Resources

Using the University’s learning management system, Canvas, students can log into the course site for WTRBUS 100. Students will access all official course information and course policies from here, follow their module and session Workshop Preparation tasks, and link to the Ed Discussion online platform that we use for course communication.

There is no set textbook for this course. All readings will be made available on the Canvas Reading List. Further Lecture preparation materials and learning resources are accessible online each week through Canvas and include video clips, quizzes, and online quizzes that count towards the final grade. 

Copyright

The content and delivery of content in this course are protected by copyright. Material belonging to others may have been used in this course and copied by and solely for the educational purposes of the University under license. You may copy the course content for the purposes of private study or research, but you may not upload onto any third-party site, make a further copy or sell, alter or further reproduce or distribute any part of the course content to another person.

Learning Continuity

In the event of an unexpected disruption, we undertake to maintain the continuity and standard of teaching and learning in all your courses throughout the year. If there are unexpected disruptions the University has contingency plans to ensure that access to your course continues and course assessment continues to meet the principles of the University’s assessment policy. Some adjustments may need to be made in emergencies. You will be kept fully informed by your course co-ordinator/director, and if disruption occurs you should refer to the university website for information about how to proceed.

Other Information

Each week, students in WTRBUS 100 attend a 2-hour Weekly Workshop. A team of workshop facilitators is involved in the delivery of WTRBUS 100. One facilitator will manage each stream of approximately 100 students. Your facilitator will be your primary contact point for course support throughout the semester. Contact details are provided on Canvas and in class.

Academic Integrity

The University of Auckland will not tolerate cheating, or assisting others to cheat, and views cheating in coursework as a serious academic offence. The work that a student submits for grading must be the student's own work, reflecting their learning. Where work from other sources is used, it must be properly acknowledged and referenced. This requirement also applies to sources on the internet. A student's assessed work may be reviewed for potential plagiarism or other forms of academic misconduct, using computerised detection mechanisms.

Similarly, research students must meet the University’s expectations of good research practice. This requires:

  • Honesty - in all aspects of research work
  • Accountability - in the conduct of research
  • Professional courtesy and fairness – in working with others
  • Good stewardship – on behalf of others
  • Transparency – of research process and presentation of results
  • Clarity - communication to be understandable, explainable and accessible

For more information on the University’s expectations of academic integrity, please see the Academic Conduct section of the University policy hub.

Disclaimer

Elements of this outline may be subject to change. The latest information about taught courses is made available to enrolled students in Canvas.

Students may be asked to submit assessments digitally. The University reserves the right to conduct scheduled tests and examinations online or through the use of computers or other electronic devices. Where tests or examinations are conducted online remote invigilation arrangements may be used. In exceptional circumstances changes to elements of this course may be necessary at short notice. Students enrolled in this course will be informed of any such changes and the reasons for them, as soon as possible, through Canvas.


Assessment and Learning Outcomes

Course Learning Outcomes

CLO #OutcomeProgramme Capability Link
1
2
3
4
5

Assessments

Assessment TypeAssessment PercentageAssessment Classification

Assessment to CLO Mapping

Assessment Type12345

Student Feedback, Support and Charter

Student Feedback

Feedback on taught courses is gathered from students at the end of each semester through a tool called SET or Qualtrics. The lecturers and course co-ordinators will consider all feedback and respond with summaries and actions. Your feedback helps teachers to improve the course and its delivery for future students. In addition, class Representatives in each class can take feedback to the department and faculty staff-student consultative committees.

Additional Information on Student Feedback

Any new changes or improvements will be appropriately provided to students.

Class representatives

Class representatives are students tasked with representing student issues to departments, faculties, and the wider university. If you have a complaint about this course, please contact your class rep who will know how to raise it in the right channels. See your departmental noticeboard for contact details for your class reps.

Tuākana

Tuākana is a multi-faceted programme for Māori and Pacific students providing topic specific tutorials, one-on-one sessions, test and exam preparation and more. Explore your options at Tuakana Learning Communities.

Inclusive Learning

All students are asked to discuss any impairment related requirements privately, face to face and/or in written form with the course coordinator, lecturer or tutor. Student Disability Services also provides support for students with a wide range of impairments, both visible and invisible, to succeed and excel at the University. For more information and contact details, please visit the Student Disability Services’ website.

Wellbeing

We all go through tough times during the semester, or see our friends struggling. There is lots of help out there - please see the Support Services page for information on support services in the University and the wider community.

Special Circumstances

If your ability to complete assessed work is affected by illness or other personal circumstances outside of your control, contact a member of teaching staff as soon as possible before the assessment is due. If your personal circumstances significantly affect your performance, or preparation, for an exam or eligible written test, refer to the University’s aegrotat or compassionate consideration page. This should be done as soon as possible and no later than seven days after the affected test or exam date.

Student Charter and Responsibilities

The Student Charter assumes and acknowledges that students are active participants in the learning process and that they have responsibilities to the institution and the international community of scholars. The University expects that students will act at all times in a way that demonstrates respect for the rights of other students and staff so that the learning environment is both safe and productive. For further information visit Student Charter.

Student Academic Complaints and Disputes

Students with concerns about teaching including how a course is delivered, the resources provided, or supervision arrangements, have the right to express their concerns and seek resolution. The university encourages informal resolution where possible, as this is quicker and less stressful. For information on the informal and formal complaints processes, please refer to the Student Academic Complaints Statute in the Student Policies and Guidelines section of the Policy Hub.