Dr Skye Akbar

As a Enterprise Fellow at UniSA Business School my research focuses on supporting the wellbeing of local peoples through improved understanding of how self-determined sustainable community economic development can be best achieved. An important focus of my projects is empowering people with data; My work aims to support evidence based decision making that can nurture local solutions to local problems. Growing up on the Eyre Peninsula with family in primary production and being of the Waljen group, of the Wongutha Peoples of the North-Eastern Goldfields of Western Australia, established my understanding of remote life, communities and economies. I aim to continue research in this area in the coming years as it is of considerable importance to people in these communities and to the wider community.

Higher Degree by Research Supervision

Keen to support Higher Degree by Research Candidates reach their goals!

Research

My key focuses in research are marketing and markets, particularly focusing on self-determination. This means working with communities, industries, and regions, to understand their strengths and challenges and working to understand how research may play a role in problem solving. This strengths driven approach positions the community/industry person/people as the expert and I work alongside developing and applying new knowledge in ways that I hope are helpful.

Teaching

Being one of the few Aboriginal business academics means that I spend lots of my time developing content and teaching people about Aboriginal business values, practice and contexts. Being embedded in an institution that values real-world experience and learning means my teaching method of complimenting business theory with focus on industry specific cases develops an engaging learning environment.

Qualifications

• Doctor of Philosophy (Marketing) University of South Australia

• Bachelor of Management (Honours) University of South Australia

• Bachelor of Management (Marketing) University of South Australia