A Question of Time: Overcoming Temporal Tensions in Collective Indigenous Entrepreneurship Through Temporal Work

Collective forms of Indigenous entrepreneurship are often seen as a mechanism to promote social equity through productive collaboration between Indigenous and non-Indigenous partners. However, the different temporal frames that Indigenous and non-Indigenous people bring to collective Indigenous entrepreneurship can undermine collaboration. Our research explores tensions in temporal frames, related to time horizon, project view, and momentum. Our longitudinal, in-depth case study of the Bundian Way, a social enterprise involving over 40 partners, highlights the critical role temporal work plays in shifting temporal frames and coalescing partners around a shared vision. Our research contributes to the literature on Indigenous entrepreneurship by highlighting the role of temporal work in reconciling temporal tensions between Indigenous and non-Indigenous partners. Our research extends theorization on temporal work by showing how, as a transformative mechanism, it shifts embedded temporal frames and generates new ways of organizing.