STAR-LAB
RESEARCH & COLLABORATIONS
For more information about STARlab's research, contact us at starlab@otago.ac.nz
Our work is aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), interconnected global goals that support collaboration and partnership to address the urgent social, economic, and environmental challenges we share. Our portfolio current addresses the following SDGs: Learn About the SDGs Here
Inclusive Entrepreneurial Ecosystems
Entrepreneurship is a pivotal driver of innovation and economic prosperity in Aoteaora|New Zealand. Entrepreneurial ecosystems (EE) include policies, supports, capital, markets and culture that combine to support the development of both an entrepreneurial sector and individual businesses. In recent years, there has been increased attention to issues such as the underrepresentation of successful entrepreneurs from marginalized groups including Māori, women, and refugee/migrants as well as a lack of attention to wellbeing. This action research uses social network analysis, qualitative in depth interviewing, and design thinking to address these issues in the context of Dunedin, New Zealand.
In partnership with Startup Dunedin, funded by University of Otago.
PI: Dr. Marissa Kaloga
SUPPORTING MIGRANT AND REFUGEE ENTREPRENEURSHIP
The Iti Rearea Collective is a cooperative project that aims to address the systemic barriers that refugees and migrants face when seeking to start and grow a new business. IRC delivers the NEST and SOAR programmes, and advocates for positive change in this sector. Read more about IRC by clicking on the links to the impact reports for Year 1 and Year 2 below:
This research is conducted in partnership with The Iti Rearea Collective, and is Funded by Foundation North.
Auckland, New Zealand
PI: Dr. Marissa Kaloga
SHAPING INNOVATION FUTURES
Uncovering the conditions we need to accelerate
regenerative and distributive futures.
Systems Change and Systems Innovation are difficult concepts, and the work can be messy and hard. But the opportunities to generate better outcomes and shared value are huge. Last year we gathered a group of systems thinkers and doers in Australasia for a joint exploration. As a group we engaged with seven systems initiatives to understand the mindsets, principles, patterns, capacities, and activities at their heart, to infer how we might mobilise, support, and scale more systems innovation in the region. Read the results of this work in the discovery report, available via the link below.
Research conducted in partnership with Griffith University's Centre for Systems Innovation, Funded by the Menzies Foundation.
Co-PIs: Dr. Alex Hannant & Dr. Ingrid Burkett
ROLE OF “EMBEDDEDNESS” IN THE SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP JOURNEY OF WOMEN FOUNDERS : A 4 COUNTRY STUDY
This research asks the question: What is the role of embeddedness in the social enterprise journeys of diverse women founders? To answer this question, we conducted in depth interviews with social entrepreneurs from India, New Zealand, Nigeria, and the USA. Results of this work are forthcoming.
Research in collaboration with Krea University's IFMR Graduate School of Business and the Department of Social Work & Human Services at Kennessaw State University, Georgia USA
PI: Dr. Gayathri Sampath
Co- PI's: Dr. Monica Nandan, Dr. Marissa Kaloga, Dr. Mona Sinha
NATIONAL SOCIAL NETWORK ANALYSIS OF NEW ZEALAND'S REFUGEE SUPPORT SERVICES
This study is a national whole network analysis of New Zealand's refugee services, and seeks to develop new knowledge about connectivity and structure in this sector.
Research in collaboration with the University of Auckland's Centre for Asia Pacific Refugee Studies, Auckland New Zealand
PI: Dr. Jay Marlowe
Co-PI's: Dr. Miriam Acebillo, Dr. Marissa Kaloga, Rasha Abu Safieh