Creative industries: A typology of change

Creative industries experience a variety of changes, which are driven by differing forces. However this variety may be understood by considering two dimensions: semiotic codes; the signifiers of symbolic value that consumers derive from products, and material base; the formats, fabrics, and physical human activities underpinning these products. We characterize four types of change, based on high and low change combinations with semiotic codes and material base: Preserve, Ideate, Transform and Recreate. This framework is applied to a range of creative industries, from mature
sectors like museums, architecture and fashion, through the many transitions of film production, to contemporary digital advertising and online content creation. We show how each of the change types appear to have different drivers related to public policy, demand, technology and globalization, offering an alternative classification framework to guide creative industries scholars, practitioners, and policy makers.