Working Together: Key Success Criteria for Collaborative Initiatives Between Aboriginal Communities and Natural Resource Companies

As resource development increasingly encroaches on the traditional lands of Aboriginal peoples, significant benefits can be gained by Aboriginal communities and resource companies working together. This thesis explores how success may be found in Aboriginal-corporate collaborative initiatives. A literature review of Aboriginal community economic development, social license to operate, and cross-sector partnerships shows the unique context in which these partners collaborate and results in five key success criteria for Aboriginal-corporate collaborative initiatives: community-defined goals; transparent corporate motivation; mutual trust, joint accountability and continuous communication; cross-cultural bridging mechanisms; and a common goal with sustainable mutual benefits. These criteria are applied to a case study of three Suncor Energy initiatives: Chip Manufacturing, Mikisew Industrial Supply, and the Fort McKay Business Incubator. Analysis of these initiatives reveals an evolution over time toward an increasingly collaborative approach, culminating in the "walking together" model, an analytical and prescriptive framework for success in Aboriginal-corporate collaborative initiatives.