Australian Indigenous entrepreneurship: a capital-based view

Encouraging entrepreneurship has been advocated as the mostpromising avenue for economic development of Indigenous communities inAustralia. Unfortunately, the number of Indigenous people engaged insmall businesses in Australia is low compared with participation rates inother countries. One explanation suggested for this low participation ratein small business is that Indigenous Australians lack the traits or culturalattitudes necessary for success. This paper advocates a different view,arguing instead that analysing Indigenous access to capital in its multipleforms provides for a richer explanation – and exploration – of the barriersto Indigenous entrepreneurship.