Report

Creativity and Constraint

The research presented here succinctly outlines the key skills needs of leaders and managers across the creative industries, explains how creative professionals prefer to learn, and highlights the role context and culture play in creating tensions for leading and managing effectively.

This research sought to explore the leadership, management and business skills gaps within the UK creative industries and to identify development interventions that may meet these gaps. The research comprised two stages; an in-depth literature review and an online survey in stage one, which was completed by over 100 Creative Skillset and Ashridge contacts; and depth interviews and focus groups with industry professionals in stage two. The purpose of the first stage was to understand the UK landscape in the creative industries and to identify leadership and management skills gaps and development needs. Stage two built on stage one by exploring the issues raised in more depth and tested development interventions among professionals in the sector. The results of this research will be used to inform Creative Skillset’s strategy, which seeks to raise the standards of leadership and management in the UK creative sector. The industries represented in this research included advertising, animation, publishing, fashion and textiles, film, games, marketing communications, online content production, radio, television and visual effects.