Reshaping the business of harvesting personal data: from extractivism to inclusivity using design science

Fernando Beltrán, Angsana A. Techatassanasoontorn, Gehan Gunasekara

In 2020, McKinsey estimated the personal data market to be worth over USD 300 billion globally, yet only a fraction made it to the ultimate generators of such a dismal amount: us. Whilst an entire ecosystem of players that collect, store, process, share and trade data are swiftly unlocking the wealth in our personal data, the race is gaining even more momentum with the coming of newer and more powerful generative artificial intelligence applications. In ongoing work, we have identified conventional and new models of Internet-based businesses focused on personal data trading under usually weak data privacy protection techniques and several payment schemes.

This project will establish a baseline account of New Zealanders’ understanding (or lack thereof) of the diverse ways several types of actors acquire their personal data, process and store it, and ultimately profit from it. Guided by a value-sensitive paradigm and using a design science approach, this project will develop a fair and transparent protocol that, acting on behalf of the individual Internet user, establishes the terms and conditions under which the user of Internet websites of mobile applications will negotiate the capture and utilisation of their personally generated data and the modes for economic benefits (payment).

Developing A Theory of Entrepreneurial Belonging: Exploring Inclusion and Exclusion in Aotearoa New Zealand’s Entrepreneurial Ecosystem

Marissa Kaloga, Anne De Bruin, Rod McNaughton, Janine Swail

What makes an entrepreneurial ecosystem truly inclusive? Despite growing efforts to support diverse entrepreneurs, many communities remain underrepresented and under-supported in these systems. This transdisciplinary, mixed-methods research explores how Aotearoa New Zealand’s entrepreneurial ecosystem can more effectively enable inclusion and equity. Using Social Network Analysis (SNA), the research team will map the relationships between Entrepreneurial Support Organizations (ESOs) across the country, to better understand which factors may influence access, connection, and participation. To complement this structural perspective, the team will conduct qualitative interviews with ESO professionals and diverse founders to explore the lived experiences of othering and belonging in these networks. These narratives will provide insight into how identity, social norms, and ecosystem dynamics shape individuals’ ability to engage fully in entrepreneurial activities. This research aims to identify not just the barriers to inclusion, but also pathways to foster belonging. Through collaboration with the entrepreneurial community, the research team will develop actionable strategies to inform practice and policy. Ultimately, this study seeks to advance both scholarly understanding and practical approaches for cultivating entrepreneurial ecosystems where diversity is not only present but meaningfully supported and sustained, recognizing that inclusive ecosystems are essential for driving equitable innovation, economic resilience, and social well-being.

Social Entrepreneurship in Pursuit of Modern Slavery Legislation for Aotearoa New Zealand

Rhiannon Lloyd, Brent Burmester, Christina Stringer

In recent years, various stakeholders have called for modern slavery legislation to be introduced in New Zealand (NZ). While the previous government proposed legislation, the National-NZ First-ACT coalition government, which came to power in November 2023, has stated that legislation is not a priority. Notwithstanding, domestic and international pressure on the government to introduce legislation remains strong.

The research focuses on two key areas: 1) how social policy reform occurs through processes of social entrepreneurship (SE), and 2) the role and dynamics of leadership and grassroots organising in driving such reform. The research will analyse the ways in which individual and collective actors engage in leadership work within a social movement aimed at social policy change. The study operates across multiple levels of analysis, identifying processes and practices of SE and leadership which catalyse movement and progress. It also aims to understand what happens when things pause or stop, and the social and organising processes that follow. This is novel territory for leadership scholarship and would provide insight on the progress (or lack thereof) of modern slavery legislation in New Zealand.

The outputs from the research include articles and a multi-media teaching case, designed primarily for leadership development. The case will focus on leadership capabilities needed for effective engagement in complex, evolving environments of social reform.

New Zealand’s Climate Disclosure Mandate: Analysing Corporate Reporting and Its Impacts

Diandian Ma, Charl de Villiers, Michelle Li

We will investigate whether the mandatory climate-related reporting and assurance requirement in New Zealand can improve companies’ social and environmental performance.

New Zealand is the first country to impose mandatory climate-related disclosure requirements on large entities. The mandatory climate-related disclosures apply to large institutions regulated under the Financial Markets Conduct (FMC) Act 2013, requiring major FMC reporting entities to lodge the disclosure in the form of annual climate statements. The mandates will affect approximately 200 large entities regulated under the FMC Act, requiring them to publish climate-related disclosures starting from financial years beginning on or after January 1, 2023, adhering to climate standards outlined by the External Reporting Board (Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment, 2024). The standards are organised around four thematic areas representing key elements of an entity’s operations: governance, strategy, metrics and targets, and risk management.

Although a growing number of studies provide early evidence supporting the real effects of CSR reporting regulations, a recent study by de Villiers et al. (2024) finds that the mandatory environmental disclosure in the EU has not improved European companies’ performance. This raises the question of how New Zealand’s mandatory climate-related financial disclosures affect firms’ sustainability and CSR performance. Our findings will be of interest to regulators, stakeholders and investors who are concerned in social and environmental performance.