Indigenous accounting career pathways: Despite and beyond

Abstract

Within the accounting field, researchers have examined the severe under-representation of the indigenous peoples that exists, the barriers to advancing careers, and social exclusion. By examining the career narratives of wāhine Māori accountants, we develop insights on career pathways beyond the restrictive practices that exist within the accounting profession. Organisational career research models and frameworks have accumulated an impressive wealth of knowledge about the nature of careers over the past three decades. Yet, few appear to enhance awareness and understanding of the diverse ways in which life-career might be constructed and enacted. These career models are predominantly Anglocentric and based on the lived experiences of majority groups and the ways they operate in dominant environments. We argue that wāhine Māori accounting careers, cannot be explained within this context and any explanation needs to be drawn from a Māori world view. We demonstrate that the dominance of Anglocentric thinking has resulted in accounting and organisational approaches that are not fit for purpose for indigenous accountants and may go some way to explaining the lack of indigenous Māori qualified accountants in the profession. Our research accentuates the lack of indigenous worldviews when narrating organisational career pathways and stories in the profession of accounting. By creating a Māori centred framework for careers, we provide a much-needed perspective on indigenous career experiences in accounting. The results are career narratives, approaches and actions established from Māori ways of thinking, being and doing, which expose a critical understanding of how colonisation is reproduced and the strength of indigenous self-determination and reclamation of sovereignty. We urge researchers to examine their assumptions of indigenous careers towards validating indigenous knowledge.