Research and Innovation Systems in the Production of Digital Content and Applications. Content and Applications, Creative Industries Cluster Study Volume III

Abstract

The nature of R&D and innovation within the creative and content industries
generally has not been closely examined. This largely reflects the sorry fact that
these industries have tended to be at the fringes of national discussions about
science and innovation policy, and of related funding and industry programmes. A
further complication is that there is little systematic data about the extent and nature
of R&D activity and funding in the creative industries in general and for digital content
production in particular.
The use of the term "digital content" implies a marriage of content and technology.
Also obviously, digital content represents a new and emerging market, an
"innovation frontier". Thus digital content constitutes a case study in innovation
and change in those industry domains within which digital content firms operate, and
for those industries in which digital content is becoming an important input and
enabler, particularly education and other service sector industries.
This current study has been part of a multi-stage programme of work examining
digital content production and applications within creative industries, and the extent
to which an industry cluster is developing, or could develop, around digital content
activities. The programme's focus on possible clustering provides a natural
springboard for extending the study into this area of innovation systems and the role
of research and development.
This report is organised around the three primary objectives for the study, as follows:
1. The industry's innovation system
2. Issues in optimising the industry's innovation systems
3. Possible intervention strategies.