Creativity and Innovation in the creative business services in Malta

Abstract

The creative industries have received increasing attention in recent years on an international level. The creative industries in Malta account for 4% of the Gross Domestic Product, with 3,600 enterprises operating in the year 2007 (Creative Economy Working Group, n.d.a). This study focuses on one of the sectors of the creative industries in Malta, that of the Creative Business Services. This study examines what stakeholders within this sub-sector understand by the terms ‘creativity’ and ‘innovation’. It investigates how organisations operating within this sub-sector manage innovation. The study adopts a qualitative approach, with data collection being conducted through the use of interviews and observations. The sample is comprised of four organisations from the creative services sub-sector, which is made up of architecture studios and advertising agencies. The four organisations, two from each industry, participated in the observations, while twelve individuals, three from each organisation, participated in the interviews. The results show that creativity and innovation within the sector of the creative business services in Malta are still considered to be concepts which are predominantly applied towards the products or services offered to clients. The respondents’ understanding of the terms ‘creativity’ and ‘innovation’ are somewhat similar to what is found in the literature. Organisations within the creative business services sector in Malta appear to lack knowledge within the area of innovation management, as a result of which, opportunities of fully benefitting from the competitive advantage this may offer may be lost.