The Importance of the Culture in Global Industry - Essay Example

Culture has become a multi-billion dollar industry. Lampel, Lant and Shamsie (2000) concede to this reality in their article on the challenges whichconfront managers in cultural industries. Quoting Marshall McLuhan's assertion that " we are swiftly moving at present from an era when business was our culture into an era when culture will be our business," (p. 263), Lampel, Lant and Shamsie's (2000) primary concern is the effective and efficient management of the cultural industries. Craves (2003) echoes this same concern and underscores the importance of art and culture as commercial commodities.

Garnham (2005), despite an evident agreement with the previously mentioned authors' main arguments, approaches the issue of commerce and culture from a different perspective. Rather than look at it from a managerial viewpoint, he critiques it from a policy perspective. In so doing, he questions the impact of cultural policies on the creative arts industries in the UK. His approach compliments and, to an extent, completes that of the other authors and, taken together, all three articles provide readers with a clear insight into the importance of arts as an industry, and the management challenges it poses.

Caves (2003) proceeds from the premise that even though art can be appreciated for art's sake, its valuation and monetary appreciation requires management. An art piece or an artistic production has its connoisseurs, regardless of whether or not marketing and management have entered into the equation. Its popularisation, however, is dependant upon management and marketing. Without management and marketing, art and culture would not have evolved into multi-billion dollar global industries. The implication here is that the marriage between culture and commerce is responsible for the evolution of culture into an industry.

Lampel, Lant and Shamsie (2000) begin their article from the point where Cave (2003) leaves of. Culture, as a consequence of its commercialisation and marketing, has evolved into a lucrative global industry. There is, however, room for the industry to grow, expand and to increase in sustainability. Industry growth, expansion and sustainability are dependant on understanding the challenges which confront cultural industry managers and, of course, resolving them. These challenges, according to Lampel, Lant and Shamsie (2000), are (1) reconciling between art and commerce so that art is perceived of as culture and not as commercial art; (2) distinguishing their artistic products from others through innovation; (3) assessing market demand and accurately responding to it; (4) encouraging creativity; and (4) managing art and culture without suffocating the creativity of art producers.

These challenges directly relate to managing art and culture without suppressing creativity.While Garnham (2005) takes a different approach to the question of managing the cultural industries, he is also concerned with management without the suppression of creativity. Accordingly, he looks towards policy and its impact upon the cultural industry in the United Kingdom. As he contends, culture is a highly lucrative industry and its relabeling as the creative industries, as per policy, has been influenced by the information age and information technology.

Information technology facilitates creativity and expands access to the creative arts. Added to that, information technology provides the industry with the tools required for the promotion and expression of increased innovation and creativity. As such, the information age has positively impacted creativity.In sum, the three articles briefly summarised in the foregoing, underscore the importance of the culture/art/creative industry. This highly lucrative global industry has the potential to grow and expand even more but in order to do so, management and policy must cooperate with one another to promote creativity and overcoming the challenges of steering this industry.