All My Relations: An Inquiry into a Spirit of a Native American Philosophy of Business

Abstract

Abstract:This article is about the philosophical foundations for contemporary business practice performed by individual Native American people rather than by collectively owned tribal enterprises. It specifically introduces and proposes a Native American trading spirit. This trading spirit is explored through Native American philosophy as described by Native American philosophers and is connected to philosophy by qualitative interviews with modern-day Native American business practitioners. This study contributes to understanding the links between American Indian worldviews and modern-day business practices performed by Native people. It is a useful baseline for designing and developing business education appropriate for Native communities.