Rangatiratanga in Business

Overview

Today’s lesson applies Business Studies thinking to a critical business issue by linking internal workplace practices with Māori business concepts. Students will analyse a short case study, identify how relationships and resource guardianship affect business performance, and practise structuring justified business explanations.

Learning intentions

• I can explain tikanga, pūtake, tūranga, kaitiakitanga, rangatiratanga, and whanaungatanga and connect each to business decisions and workplace behaviour.
• I can identify cause-and-effect links between relationship-building, resource guardianship, and business outcomes in a real-world case.
• I can use evidence from a given context to support business explanations and a recommendation.
• I can collaborate and communicate using respectful workplace language and protocols.

Success criteria

• I can match each Māori business concept to a workplace/business example and state why it matters.
• I can explain how the concept(s) address a critical business problem and predict likely effects.
• I can justify a recommendation using evidence from the case and relevant business knowledge.
• I can show respectful relationship-building through my group discussions and roles.

Curriculum links

• Achievement Standard AS90845: Apply business knowledge to a critical problem(s) in a given large business context (causes/effects, solutions, evidence, recommendation).
• Achievement Standard AS90844: Demonstrate understanding of how a large business responds to external factors (effects and responses).
• Key competencies: Thinking (cause/effect, justification), Relating to others (whanaungatanga, workplace relationships), Participating and contributing (group roles), Communicating (clear explanations).
• Values and learning areas: building relationships in the workplace and stewardship of resources to support sustainable outcomes.

Lesson structure (60 minutes)

1. 0–7 min · Hook: “What changes when relationships matter?” Teacher shares 3 short workplace scenarios (e.g., repeated staff conflict; missed deadlines; resource waste) and asks students to choose which scenario is most likely to worsen business performance over time. Students quick-write a cause they think could be missing (hint: relationships, roles, or stewardship).

2. 7–18 min · Mini-teach: Māori concepts in business (with workplace meaning) Teacher explains each concept in student-friendly terms, explicitly linking to business decisions and operations. Students record a two-column note: concept → workplace/business “what it looks like”.

• Tikanga: “customary practices” that guide behaviour and decision-making. In business, it supports clear expectations, respectful meetings, and fair processes.
• Pūtake: “foundations/starting points” for why decisions are made. In business, it strengthens decision justification (e.g., why the team prioritises safety or customer needs).
• Tūranga: “roles/positions” and responsibilities. In business, role clarity improves accountability, reduces conflict, and helps staff know boundaries.
• Kaitiakitanga: “guardianship/stewardship” of people, land, and resources. In business, it supports sustainable operations, waste reduction, and ethical supply decisions.
• Rangatiratanga: “leadership/self-determination” with responsibility. In business, it supports empowering teams, shared decision-making, and leadership that is accountable.
• Whanaungatanga: “relationships/kinship connections” and belonging. In business, it improves collaboration, trust, retention, and shared purpose.

3. 18–33 min · Case study analysis: relationship + resources as a business lever Teacher provides a brief case study of a larger business (30+ employees) facing a critical problem: high staff turnover and rising costs due to inconsistent work practices and excessive stock waste. Students, in groups of 4–5, complete a structured worksheet:

• Identify the critical problem (what threatens business continuation—e.g., profitability and capability).
• List likely causes and effects (at least 2 each).
• Choose 2–3 Māori concepts that could explain or address the problem.
• Add evidence from the case (quotes or specific details from the provided text).

4. 33–47 min · Solutions: mapping concepts to business responses Teacher models a “cause → solution → effect” chain and shows how to turn ideas into a recommendation aligned to business thinking (AS90845 style). Students develop 2 possible solutions and then select the best one, ensuring it:

• addresses causes (not just symptoms)
• uses evidence from the case
• includes at least one Māori concept in practical terms (tikanga, tūranga, or whanaungatanga in the workplace; kaitiakitanga for resources).

5. 47–57 min · Group share: justify and refine Teacher runs a short gallery walk or structured share (one minute per group per section). Students present:

• their recommended solution
• the Māori concept(s) used
• the expected effects for staff and resources.

6. 57–60 min · Exit ticket Teacher collects an individual exit ticket: “Which concept most strongly improves business outcomes in this case, and why?” Students must include one cause/effect link and one piece of evidence.

Resources

• Printed case study handout (staff turnover + stock waste scenario)
• Māori concepts notes sheet (teacher-provided definitions and “workplace evidence” prompts)
• Worksheet: Critical problem, causes/effects, evidence, solutions, recommendation
• Highlighters/coloured pens for evidence tagging
• Timer and group role cards (facilitator, evidence finder, summariser, presenter)

Assessment

• Formative checks during case analysis: teacher circulates to see whether students identify causes/effects and connect concepts to evidence.
• Formative peer check in group share: one question per group from another group focused on “What evidence supports that?”
• Summative-in-mini form: exit ticket assessed for clarity of cause/effect, evidence use, and concept relevance (AS90845-aligned thinking).

Differentiation

• Support: sentence starters for justification (e.g., “The critical problem is… because…”, “This would affect performance by…”), plus an evidence checklist.
• Support: concept-to-business matching cards for students who need a prompt.
• Extension: require students to compare two alternative solutions (which is better and why, predicting trade-offs such as short-term cost vs long-term capability).
• EAL/SEN: allow discussion before writing; provide a glossary with key terms (tikanga, pūtake, tūranga, kaitiakitanga, rangatiratanga, whanaungatanga) and examples written in simpler language.
• Relationship focus: teacher assigns roles to strengthen whanaungatanga (everyone contributes, and turn-taking is explicit).