Mick (ᐅᑭᒪᐘᑎᐠ Okimâwâtik) Elliott
Positions
PhD Student
Haskayne School of Business, Entrepreneurship and Innovation [ENTI]
Contact information
Web presence
Background
Educational Background
MBA Indigenous Leadership and Management, Simon Fraser University, 2021
B.Sc Computer Information Systems, DeVry University, 2000
Biography
ᐅᑭᒪᐘᑎᐠ Okimâwâhtik is Mick's Indigenous name which means tree of life and is represtented as the chief tree in the SunDance arbour. He is a proud two-spirited citizen of the Okanese First Nation who has become the inaugural Indigenous Business PhD student at Haskayne.
He brings decades of National oversight responsibilities in large multinational corporations to academia. Guided by Elders and Knowledge Keepers, he presents a two-eyed seeing lens to research and education inviting the Indigenous worldview to research and theoretical extension.
As part of his commitment to education, Mick has deployed Indigenous Awareness sessions to thousands including business executives, colleagues, and other Indigenous peoples. He is frequently asked to guest lecture in executive education classrooms sharing insights on social license to operate/CSR, sustainability, conflict resolution, negotiation, navigating regulatory tensions and Indigenous rights.
He has volunteered in Indigenous communities supporting self-determination and also for urban non-profits as an anti-racism activist to create safer spaces and places for everyone.
Mick aspires to bring his experience, worldview and enthusiasm to the minds and hearts of future business leaders.
Research
Areas of Research
My Knowledge journey (research) looks at the tensions between Indigenous and neoliberal economies while visiting the reality of the socioeconomic gap that exists between Indigenous and non-Indigenous populations.
While situated in Entrepreneurship and Innovation, my business acumen lends itself to other business research disciplines including International Business, Organizational Behaviour & Human Resources, and Strategic Management.
Drawing on my multinational corporation experience, I am taking an Indigenist / qualitative research approach to investigate what resources contribute to the development of dynamic capabilities within academic systems necessary to advance Indigenization and Decolonization.
Through this problematized-research I hope to create a framework that can be utilized to increase the representation of Indigenous peoples in academic spaces and around boardroom tables.
Ruminations include leveraging my technology background to contemplate how AI could flip the classroom in higher education. What will pedagogy evolve to?
I am also curious how LLMs could be used to support aspiring entrepreneurs and business leaders who might not have the benefit or access to mentors within underrepresented and marginalized communities.
Furthermore, I have created a Cree GPT instance as an Indigenous language tutor to support language and culture revitalization. Through this practical application, I am curious to advance research on how best to deploy culturally-appropriate LLMs solutions into Indigenous communities to counteract the ongoing impacts of residential school and assimilation policies. I have confidence this action-based research will support entrepreneurship, business development, governance support, and educational support with an Indigrnous worldview to increase conveyance into higher education.
Participation in university strategic initiatives
Awards
- Canada Graduate Scholar, Government of Canada - SSHRC. 2023
- Alberta Graduate Excellence Scholar, Government of Alberta. 2022
- Building Brighter Futures Scholar, CIBC Bank. 2022
- Building Brighter Futures Scholar, McDonalds Canada. 2023
- Alberta Graduate Excellence Scholar, Government of Alberta. 2023
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