Creative Manufacturing: The game changer

‘Creativity’ is a term which means different things for different people. For some it might mean ‘uniqueness’, ‘being different’, ‘innovation’, etc. Creativity plays a vital role not only in the life of individuals, but also forms the crux of many industries and manufacturing units. Creative manufacturing is known by various names such as creative industries or cultural industries.

Let’s first understand the term creative manufacturing.

It refers to a wide range of economic activities which concentrate on generating or exploitation of the available knowledge and information and putting it to the best possible use. The aim of creative manufacturing is to create and manufacture products laden with innovation and uniqueness.

According to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), cultural industries are those which combine production, creation and commercialization of creative contents that are intangible and cultural in nature. To put in simple words, it means the careful and proper integration of creative elements into the manufacturing processes to derive end products that have an artistic element of substantial or creative endeavor.

The nine sectors that fall under the category of creative manufacturing are:

• Advertising and marketing
• Crafts
• Architecture
• film, TV, video, radio and photography
• IT, software and computer services
• Publishing
• Design: product, graphic and fashion design
• Museums, galleries and libraries
• Music, performing and visual arts

To understand why the creative manufacturing industry is turning a game changer of the future, we need to review the characteristics or properties of the same.

1. Unpredictability: In this type of manufacturing, the demand for a particular product cannot be estimated beforehand, as the consumer’s reactions to a product are unknown. It is only after a product is complete, does a consumer get to see the product and say as to whether the product meets his/her expectations
2. Art for art’s sake: Workers attach a lot of importance to originality, technical skill, professional skill and harmony of the creative goods produced. Owing to their profound passion towards producing creative work, they even settle for lower wages
3. Motley crew principle: This refers to the diverse skilled inputs required to produce complex creative products. Each skilled input must make themselves available and perform at the basic minimum level to produce valuable outcomes
4. Infinite variety: Products can be differentiated by their quality and uniqueness. Every product is a unique combination of inputs that lead to infinite options of variety
5. Skill differentiation: Skills are differentiated vertically. Even a small difference in talent or skill may lead to vast differences in success, mostly financial. Each artist is ranked based on their skills, originality, and proficiency with creative processes or products.
6. Time management: This type of manufacturing involves taking up both easy and complex projects. Managing time is of utmost importance while working on difficult processes. It requires proper coordination and commitment of the diversely skilled workforce

I hope the above-mentioned characteristics helped you gain a better understanding of the important elements of creative manufacturing. Now, I will present to you the most significant points which have aided in creative manufacturing becoming today’s trend and tomorrow’s game changer.

• At first, many countries struggled to compete in the manufacturing market as it is a traditional sector. But now, many see it as the key component in the new knowledge economy
• It has a high capability of delivering urban regeneration
• It b rings with it initiatives linked to exploitation of cultural heritage which in turn leads to  increased tourism
• It has spread its wings across the globe, thanks to globalization. Hence, in future, the creative manufacturing ideas from countries such as the United Kingdom will prove to be a great asset
• Many global universities in UK and USA have started offering courses on creative entrepreneurship as a specific area for research and study
• In recent years, creative manufacturing has become increasingly attractive and has grabbed the attention of governments across the world. In 2005, the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) organized a conference on Creative Industries and Development. Several studies were undertaken to identify the challenges and opportunities facing the growth and development of creative industries in developing industries

After going through these points, one can, without doubt, say that creative manufacturing harnesses creativity which has the potential of creating new wealth, generating creative capital of a country, identification and cultivation of local talent, developing and opening new export avenues, proper utilization of information communication technologies and enhancing competitiveness of an increasingly global economy.

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