Publications

The Creative and Cultural Industries: Towards Sustainability and Recovery

Authors: Marlen Komorowski and Justin Lewis

Published: 21 June 2023

Publication Type: Editorial

We are delighted to introduce this Special Issue of Sustainability, entitled “The Creative and Cultural Industries: Towards Sustainability and Recovery”. During the last several decades, the creative and cultural industries (CCIs) have increasingly been recognized for their role in local, regional, national and supranational economies; as drivers of economic growth, development and regeneration; and for their social and cultural impacts on well-being, place-making, inclusion, sustainability, diversity and culture.

On the other hand, the COVID-19 crisis has exposed the fragility and precarity of an industry dominated by micro-businesses, freelance and informal work practices and few tangible assets, calling into question the sustainability of economic models based on a high level of precarity in employment practices. This has led to some efforts (undertaken by governments and public bodies) to protect this industry from the pandemic’s impact. At the same time, lockdowns have also highlighted the importance of creative activity in maintaining individual well-being and community resilience and the innovative potential of this industry.

 

Creative Hubs and Intercultural Dialogue—Towards a New Socio-Economic Narrative

Authors: Marlen Komorowski, Máté Miklós Fodor, Sara Pepper and Justin Lewis

Published: 19 May 2023

Publication Type: Article

This paper argues that creative hubs are enablers and curators of intercultural dialogue. Building upon an internationally funded project bringing together creative hubs from Turkey, Greece, Serbia and the UK, research was carried out through a survey analysis across these four countries with 98 creative hubs and four workshops in co-working spaces (involving 29 creative hub experts).

Based on the data collected, this paper suggests a new framework for understanding intercultural dialogue in creative hubs through their spatial and cultural attributes, as well as through their levels of activity. The findings support the argument for a shift from an economic to a socio-economic narrative around creative hubs.

 

The Relationship between Firm Attributes and Attitudes towards Diversity

Authors: Marlen Komorowski, Máté Miklós Fodor and Aliya Turegeldinova

Published: 2 May 2023

Publication Type: Article

The attitudes of creative firms towards issues of equality, diversity and inclusiveness (“EDI”) can significantly affect their willingness to sponsor and implement effective measures in the domain. It is, therefore, essential to examine the readily measurable firm attributes that influence these attitudes. We have collected a wide range of data on almost 330 creative businesses. Our empirical investigation establishes a robust and unequivocal pattern.

It indicates that more established companies tend not to view the underrepresentation or the discrimination of people with various protected characteristics as problematic. Young, innovative and efficient firms on the other hand are systematically more likely to consider these same issues as prevalent. These findings are in line with the conclusions from the previous literature which relied predominantly on anecdotal evidence. The patterns that we document suggest that EDI policies and recommendations must be tailored to the precise characteristics of the firm implementing them.

 

The Travels of Media and Cultural Products – Cultural Transduction 

Authors: Enrique Uribe-Jongbloed

Published: 7 September 2023

Publication Type: Book

This book presents the Cultural Transduction framework as a conceptual tool to understand the processes that media and cultural products undergo when they cross cultural and national borders.

Using a series of examples from pop culture, including films, television series, video games, memes and other digital products, this book provides the reader with a wider understanding of the procedures, interests, roles, assumptions and challenges, which foster or hinder the travels of media and cultural products. Compiling in one single narrative a series of case studies, theoretical debates and international examples, the book looks at a number of exchanges and transformations enabled by both traditional media trade and the internet. It reflects on the increase of cultural products crossing over regional, national and international borders in the form of video games and TV formats, through music and video distribution platforms or via digital social media networks, to highlight discussions about the characteristics of border-crossing digital production.

 

Understanding the Role of Creative Networks for Cultural and Creative Industries: The Case of Creative Cardiff

Authors: Ruxandra Lupu, Marlen Komorowski, Sara Pepper and Justin Lewis

Published: August 22 2023

Publication Type: Chapter

Although the impact of the cultural and creative industries (CCI) in terms of driving innovation and wealth creation has been widely acknowledged, the way they self-organise to create value is still underexplored. There has been growing interest in understanding CCI ‘ecosystems’, ‘spillovers’ and ‘networks’, which has put a renewed focus on different modes of functioning, relationships and patterns in the sector. In this chapter, we focus on creative networks as organisations which are unique to the CCI. We define creative networks as organised networks (sometimes having their own legal entity, sometimes as part of another organisation) that have dedicated people working to support the creative network to create collaboration and/or growth in the local/regional CCI. Such networks are place-based initiatives with the ability to bring people together in real time.

 

Greening the Audiovisual Sector: Towards a New Understanding through Innovation Practices in Wales and Beyond

Authors: Ruxandra Lupu, Marlen Komorowski, Gregory Mothersdale, Sara Pepper and Justin Lewis

Published: 7 February 2023

Publication Type: Article

Despite efforts towards reducing the negative environmental impact of the audiovisual sector, sustainability remains challenging. In this paper we address environmental sustainability in the Welsh audiovisual sector through the lens of green innovation. The mixed method study combines quantitative research measuring the adoption levels of green innovation inside businesses with qualitative analysis of selected case studies of green innovation.

In doing so, the paper explores the extent of developing green innovation, as well as how research and development (R&D) as a specific roadmap to innovation leads to different forms of innovative outcomes. Based on this evidence, we propose an extended framework for considering green innovation in the audiovisual sector, one that differentiates between solution-driven, content-driven and mindset-driven innovation. By providing evidence of the extent and nature of green innovation in the audiovisual sector, the paper makes an important contribution to the underexplored field of green innovation research.