CREATIVE ECONOMY AND SUSTAINABILITY: THE CASE OF THE MUSIC INDUSTRY

Abstract

ABSTRACT This study examines the role and possible impact of the music industry on sustainable development goals in the context of the creative economy. While the music industry stands out as a tool to promote cultural diversity and social integration, it is also considered as an important economic sector. The creative industry and creative economy define the transformation of individual creativity into an economic resource, and have the potential to increase social welfare and indirectly support environmental sustainability. In the study, which was designed on the axis of case study, one of the qualitative research method designs, the sustainability practices and policies of various actors of the music industry in the last three years within the framework of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) were analyzed and interpreted through document analysis method. The findings of the study reveal that there are differences in the approaches of the selected music industry companies towards the SDGs. In particular, it was observed that “Decent Work and Economic Growth”, “Gender Equality”, “Climate Action” and “Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions” were adopted as priority issues by the analyzed companies. However, goals such as “End Poverty”, “Clean Water and Sanitation” and “End Hunger” are not among the priorities, and companies may need to make more efforts in these areas. In addition, it was found that some companies have taken steps towards social sustainability goals such as “Quality Education” and “Reducing Inequality”. In conclusion, it is emphasized that the music industry is an important actor contributing to sustainable development. Sustainability standards for the music industry can be developed. The study aims to contribute to an in-depth understanding of the relationship between sustainability and the music industry as an important element of the creative economy.

Keywords

• Keywords: Music Industry
• Creative Economy
• Culture Industry
• Sustainability
• Sustainable Development Goals

YARATICI EKONOMİ VE SÜRDÜRÜLEBİLİRLİK: MÜZİK ENDÜSTRİSİ ÖRNEĞİ

Abstract

ÖZ Yapılan çalışmada, yaratıcı ekonomi bağlamında müzik endüstrisinin sürdürülebilir kalkınma amaçları üzerindeki rolü ve olası etkisi incelenmektedir. Müzik endüstrisi, kültürel çeşitliliği teşvik eden ve sosyal bütünleşmeyi sağlayan bir araç olarak öne çıkarken, aynı zamanda önemli bir ekonomik sektör olarak da değerlendirilmektedir. Yaratıcı endüstri ve yaratıcı ekonomi bireysel yaratıcılığın ekonomi kaynağına dönüşümünü tanımlamakta, toplumsal refahı artırma yönü ile çevresel sürdürülebilirliği dolaylı olarak destekleme potansiyeline sahiptir. Nitel araştırma yöntemi desenlerinden Durum çalışması (case study) ekseninde kurgulanan çalışmada, Birleşmiş Milletler Sürdürülebilir Kalkınma Amaçları (SKA) çerçevesinde müzik endüstrisinin çeşitli aktörlerinin son üç yıldaki sürdürülebilirlik uygulamaları ve politikaları dokuman analizi yöntemi ile analiz edilmiş ve yorumlanmıştır. Araştırmanın bulguları, seçilen müzik endüstrisi şirketlerinin SKA’lara yönelik yaklaşımlarında farklılıklar olduğunu ortaya koymaktadır. Özellikle “İnsana Yaraşır İş ve Ekonomik Büyüme”, “Toplumsal Cinsiyet Eşitliği”, “İklim Eylemi” ve “Barış, Adalet ve Güçlü Kurumlar” amaçlarının incelenen şirketler tarafından öncelikli konular kapsamında benimsendiği görülmüştür. Bununla birlikte, “Yoksulluğa Son”, “Temiz Su ve Sanitasyon” ve “Açlığa Son” gibi amaçların öncelikli konular arasında yer almaması, bu alanlarda şirketlerin daha fazla çaba göstermesi gerekebilir. Ayrıca, bazı şirketlerin “Nitelikli Eğitim” ve “Eşitsizliğin Azaltılması” gibi sosyal sürdürülebilirlik amaçlarına yönelik adımlar attığı tespit edilmiştir. Sonuç olarak, müzik endüstrisinin sürdürülebilir kalkınmaya katkı sağlayan önemli bir aktör olduğu vurgulanmıştır. Müzik endüstrisine ilişkin sürdürülebilirlik standartları geliştirilebilir. Çalışma, yaratıcı ekonominin önemli unsuru olan müzik endüstrisi ve sürdürülebilirlik arasındaki ilişkinin derinlemesine anlaşılmasına katkıda bulunmayı hedeflemektedir.

Keywords

• Müzik Endüstrisi
• Yaratıcı Ekonomi
• Kültür Endüstrisi
• Sürdürülebilirlik
• Sürdürülebilir Kalkınma Amaçları

References

1. Awa, H.O., Etim, W. & Ogbonda, E. Stakeholders, stakeholder theory and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). Int J Corporate Soc Responsibility 9, 11 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1186/s40991-024-00094
2. Bakhshi, H., Freeman, A., & Higgs, P. (2013). A dynamic mapping of the UK's creative industries.
3. Barker, C. (2004). The SAGE dictionary of cultural studies. SAGE Publications Ltd, https://doi.org/10.4135/9781446221280
4. Barton, G. (2018). The relationship between music, culture, and society: meaning in music. ın: music learning and teaching in culturally and socially diverse contexts. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-95408-0_2
5. Boccella, N., & Salerno, I. (2016). Creative economy, cultural industries and local development. Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences, 223, 291-296.
6. Belussi, F., & Sedita, S. (Eds.). (2011). Managing situated creativity in cultural industries (1st ed.). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315873664.
7. Bennett, T. (2024). The music ındustry does exist. In: Arditi, D., Nolan, R. (eds) The palgrave handbook of critical music ındustry studies. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-64013-1_33
8. Brennan, M. (2020). The environmental sustainability of the music ındustries. In: Oakley, K., Banks, M. (eds) Cultural Industries and the Environmental Crisis. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-49384-4_4

9. Calabrese, A., Costa, R., Levialdi Ghiron, N., & Menichini, T. (2017). Materiality analysis in sustainability reporting: a method for making it work in practice. European Journal of Sustainable Development, 6(3), 439. https://doi.org/10.14207/ejsd.2017.v6n3p439
10. Creswell, W. J. (2016), Araştırma deseni nitel, nicel ve karma yöntem yaklaşımları. Çvr: Selçuk Beşir Demir, Ankara: Eğiten Kitap.
11. Cook, K.S., Cheshire, C., Rice, E.R.W., Nakagawa, S. (2013). Social exchange theory. In: DeLamater, J., Ward, A. (eds) Handbook of social psychology. handbooks of sociology and social research. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-6772-0_3
12. J. Hawkes, The fourth pillar of sustainability: culture’s essential role in public planning Common Ground P/L, Melbourne (2001) ISBN: 1 86335 049 7
13. Hesmondhalgh, D., & Pratt, A. C. (2005). Cultural industries and cultural policy. International Journal of Cultural Policy, 11(1), 1–13. https://doi.org/10.1080/10286630500067598
14. Kalra, P. (2024). Corporate socıal responsıbılıty and stakeholder theory: an integrated review. journal of management & entrepreneurship. https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.32886.82243
15. Kim, J., & Kang, M. Y. (2022). Sustainable success in the music industry: empirical analysis of music preferences. Journal of Business Research, 142, 1068–1076. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2022.01.021
16. Flew, T. (2011). The creative industries: Culture and policy.
17. Flew, T. (2019). From policy to curriculum: drivers of the growth in creative industries courses in the UK and Australia. Creative Industries Journal, 12(2), 167–184. https://doi.org/10.1080/17510694.2019.1583036
18. Freeman, R. E., Harrison, J. S., Wicks, A. C., Parmar, B. L., & de Colle, S. (2010). Stakeholder theory and corporate social responsibility. In stakeholder theory: the state of the art (pp. 235–264). chapter, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
19. González, M., del Mar Alonso-Almeida, M., & Dominguez, D. (2017). Mapping global sustainability report scoring: a detailed analysis of Europe and Asia. Quality & Quantity, 1-15
20. Grant, C., Bartleet, B. L., Barclay, L., Lamont, J., & Sur, S. (2022). Integrating music and sound into efforts to advance the sustainable development goals in the Asia-Pacific: case studies from Indonesia, Vanuatu and Australia. International Journal of Cultural Policy, 28(4), 499-512.
21. Horkheimer, M., & Adorno, T. W. (2002). Dialectic of enlightenment: philosophical fragments (E. Jephcott, Trans.). Stanford University Press. (Original work published 1944). Retrieved November 21, 2024, from https://monoskop.org/images/2/27/Horkheimer_Max_Adorno_Theodor_W_Dialectic_of_Enlightenment_Philosophical_Fragments.pdf
22. Markusen, A., Wassall, G. H., DeNatale, D., & Cohen, R. (2008). Defining the creative economy: Industry and occupational approaches. Economic Development Quarterly, 22(1), 24–45
23. Marquina, M. V. H., Dain, M. L., Joly, I., & Zwolinski, P. (2024). Exploring determinants of collaboration in circular supply chains: A social exchange theory perspective. Sustainable Production and Consumption, 50, 1–19. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.spc.2024.07.017
24. Moore, I. (2014). Cultural and Creative Industries concept–a historical perspective. Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences, 110, 738-746.
25. Moirano, R., Sánchez, M. A., & Štěpánek, L. (2019). Creative interdisciplinary collaboration: A systematic literature review. Thinking Skills and Creativity, 35, 100626. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tsc.2019.100626
26. Naveed, K., Watanabe, C., & Neittaanmäki, P. (2017). Co-evolution between streaming and live music leads a way to the sustainable growth of music industry – Lessons from the US experiences. Technology in Society, 50, 1–19. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.techsoc.2017.03.005
27. Nettl, B. (1975). Music in primitive cultures: Iran, a recently developed nation. In C. Hamm, B. Nettl, & R. Byrnside (Eds.), Contemporary music and music cultures (pp. 71–100). Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall.
28. O’Connor, J. (2010), The cultural and the creative ındustries: a literature review, Creativity, Culture and Education Newcastle
29. Olsson, P., Galaz, V., & Boonstra, W. J. (2014). Sustainability transformations: a resilience perspective. Ecology and Society, 19(4). http://www.jstor.org/stable/26269651
30. Garnham, N. (2005). From cultural to creative industries: an analysis of the implications of the “creative industries” approach to arts and media policy making in the United Kingdom. International journal of cultural policy, 11(1), 15-29.
31. Purnomo, B. R. (2020). Artistic orientation in creative industries: conceptualization and scale development. In B. R. Purnomo, Journal of Small Business & Entrepreneurship (Vol. 35, Issue 6, p. 828). Taylor & Francis. https://doi.org/10.1080/08276331.2020.1794690
32. Reese, L. A., Faist, J. M., & Sands, G. (2010). Measuring the creative class: do we know it when we see it? Journal of Urban Affairs, 32(3), 345–366. doi:10.1111/j.1467–9906.2010.00496.x
33. Saglam, Y. C., Çankaya, S. Y., Golgeci, I., Sezen, B., & Zaim, S. (2022). The role of communication quality, relational commitment, and reciprocity in building supply chain resilience: a social exchange theory perspective. Transportation research part e logistics and transportation review, 167, 102936. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tre.2022.102936
34. Salvado, M. F., Azevedo, S. G., Matias, J. C., & Ferreira, L. M. (2015). Proposal of a sustainability index for the automotive industry. Sustainability, 7(2), 2113-2144.
35. Soini, K., & Birkeland, I. (2014). Exploring the scientific discourse on cultural sustainability. Geoforum, 51, 213–223. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.Geoforum.2013.12.001
36. Throsby, D. (2001). Economics and culture. The Press Syndicate of theUnversity of Cambridge.
37. Wang, Y., Xiang, D., Yang, Z., & Ma, S. (2018). Unraveling customer sustainable consumption behaviors in sharing economy: A socio-economic approach based on social exchange theory. Journal of cleaner production, 208, 869–879. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2018.10.139
38. WCED- World commission on environment and development (1987). Brundtland Commission. Our Common Future. Oxford University Press: Oxford.
39. Weng, S. S., & Chen, H. C. (2020). Exploring the role of deep learning technology in the sustainable development of the music production industry. Sustainability, 12(2), 625.
40. Wu, L., Chuang, C. H., & Hsu, C. H. (2014). Information sharing and collaborative behaviors in enabling supply chain performance: A social exchange perspective. International journal of production economics, 148, 122-132.
41. Yıldırım A. Şimşek H. (2016). Sosyal bilimlerde nitel araştırma yöntemleri, Ankara: Seçkin Yayıncılık
42. Web Resources Beggars Group. (n.d.). Sustainability. (Access adress: https://beggars.com/sustainability), (Access date: 29.12.2025).
43. Beggars Group. (2023). Beggars Group 2023 Carbon Report. (Access adress: https://s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/cfcdn.beggars.com/beggars/wpcontent/uploads/2024/12/13154059/Beggars-Group-2023-Sustainability-report-v2.0.pdf#page=4.09), (Access date: 29.12.2024).
44. Center for Music Ecosystems. (n.d.).Your guide to music and the SDGs.(Access adress: https://centerformusicecosystems.com),( Access date:12.12.2024).
45. Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS). (2001). Creative industries mapping document 2001 (Access adress:https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5a7b11d440f0b66eab99ec2a/2001part1-foreword2001.pdf ),(Access date: 18.11.2024).
46. Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS). (2015). Creative industries economic estimates: January 2015 (Access adress:https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5a75c589e5274a545822e183/Creative_Industries_Economic_Estimates__January_2015.pdf), (Access date: 18.11.2024).
47. Deloitte. (2021). Future of the creative economy report.(Access adress:https://www2.deloitte.com/content/dam/Deloitte/uk/Documents/technology-media-telecommunications/deloitte-uk-future-creative-economy-report-final.pdf),(Access date:18.11.2024).
48. European Commission. (2021). Music (Access adress:https://culture.ec.europa.eu/cultural-and-creative-sectors/music), (Access date:17.11.2024).
49. European Commission. (2018). Proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing the Creative Europe programme (2021 to 2027) [COM (2018) 366 final].(Access adress: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=COM%3A2018%3A366%3AFIN), (Access date:17.11.2024).
50. Global Reporting Initiative. (2021). GRI 3: Material topics 2021.(Access adress: https://www.globalreporting.org/standards/) ,(Access date: 28.12.2024)
51. PwC. (2024.). _Insights and perspectives from the Global Entertainment & Media Outlook 2024–2028 (Access adress: [https://www.pwc.com/gx/en/issues/business\-model\-), (Access date:18.12.2024).
52. The creative economy takes center stage. (2021). IFC. (Access adress: https://www.ifc.org/en/stories/2021/the-creative-economy-takes),(Access date:13.11.2024).
53. International Finance Corporation. (n.d.). Creative industries. International Finance Corporation. (Access adress:https://www.ifc.org/en/what-we-do/sector-expertise/creative-industries ),( Access date:13.11.2024).
54. Lords Library. (2024). _Contribution of the arts to society and the economy. UK Parliament. (Access adress: [https://lordslibrary.parliament.uk/contribution\-of\-the\-arts\-to\-society\-and\-the\-economy/#heading\-3]), (Access date:18.11.2024).
55. Murmur Earth. (n.d.). Homepage. (Access adress: from https://www.murmur.earth/),(Access date: 24.11.2024).
56. NEW ECONOMICS FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENTCREATIVE ECONOMY. (n.d.) In United Nations Economist Network.(Access adress: https://www.un.org/sites/un2.un.org/files/orange_economy_14_march.pdf ),(Access date: 17.11.2024).
57. OECD. (2020). Local economic and employment development (LEED). (Access adress:https://www.oecd.org/en/publications/local-economic-and-employment-development-leed_19901097.html), (Access date: 18.11.2024).
58. Sony Group Corporation. (2021). Sustainability report 2021. (Access adress: https://www.sony.com/en/SonyInfo/csr/library/reports/SustainabilityReport2021_E.pdf ),(Access date: 30.11.2024).
59. Sony Group Corporation. (2022). Sustainability report 2022.(Access adress:https://www.sony.com/en/SonyInfo/csr/library/reports/SustainabilityReport2022E.pdf),(Access date: 30.11.2024).
60. Sony Group Corporation. (2023). Sustainability report 2023.(Access adress: https://www.sony.com/en/SonyInfo/csr/library/reports/SustainabilityReport2023_sustainability_E.pdf), (Access date: 30.11.2024).
61. Spotify Technology S.A. (2021). Annual report 2021(Access adress: https://www.lifeatspotify.com/reports/Spotify-Equity-Impact-Report-2021.pdf),(Access date: 30.11.2024).
62. Spotify Technology S.A. (2022). Annual report 2022 (Access adress: https://www.lifeatspotify.com/reports/Spotify-Equity-Impact-Report-2022.pdf),(Access date: 30.11.2024).
63. Spotify Technology S.A. (2023). Annual report 2023(Access adress: https://downloads.ctfassets.net/e66ejtqbaazg/5CvEHET09PVeYCF1T5N1J2/76d2169d6bfe99602e49078df7f67360/Annual_Report_2023.pdf), (Access date: 24.11.2024).
64. Spotify Technology S.A. (2023). Equity impact report 2023.(Access adress: https://www.lifeatspotify.com/reports/Spotify-Equity-Impact-Report-2023.pdf),(Access date: 24.11.2024).
65. Teosto. (2024). Nordic music materiality report (September 2024). (Access adress: https://www.teosto.fi/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Nordic-Music-Materiality-Report-Sept-2024.pdf#page=6.09),(Access date: 20.11.2024).
66. UN-United Nations (2015). Transforming our world: The 2030 agenda for sustainable development (Access adress: https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/post2015/transformingourworld/ publication),(Access date: 24.11.2024).
67. UNCTAD & UNDP. (2010). Creative economy report 2010: A feasible development option. (Access adress:file:///Users/belginranacardak/Downloads/CER2010.pdf),(Access date: 18.11.2024).
68. UNCTAD. (2021). 2021 Year of the Creative Economy (Access adress: from https://unctad.org/topic/trade-analysis/creative-economy-programme/2021-year-of-the-creative-economy),(Access date: 18.12.2024).
69. United Nations. (n.d.). United Nations information centre. (Access adress: https://uninfo.org (Access date: 25.12.2024).
70. United Nations Regional Information Centre. (2021). SDGs and music: Agents of change in action. Retrieved from https://unric.org/en/sdgs-and-music-agents-of-change-in-action/ Retrieved December 25, 2025(Access date: 24.11.2024).
71. United Nations. (2024, September 13). How the music industry can keep advancing the SDGs. United Nations Western Europe. (Access adress:https://unric.org/en/how-the-music-industry-can-keep-advancing-the-sdgs/), (Access date: 24.11.2024).
72. Universal Music Group. (2021). Annual Report 2021.(Access adress: https://assets.ctfassets.net/e66ejtqbaazg/4LshyzyjnBKetcCZQqOcCh/2a36034254abdbdaa4100af3448908aa/UMG_-_2022_AGM_-_Item_4_-_Annual_Report_2021__including_Financial_Statements_2021.pdf),(Access date: 8.12.2024).
73. Universal Music Group. (2022). Annual Report 2022. (Access adress: https://downloads.ctfassets.net/e66ejtqbaazg/6QtGc2JKWEuryUgu0H4Jee/5f614e24af881f193b6034c434a647b9/UMG_2022_Annual_Report.pdf), (Access date: 8.12.2024).
74. Universal Music Group. (2023). Annual Report 2023.(Access adress: https://downloads.ctfassets.net/e66ejtqbaazg/5CvEHET09PVeYCF1T5N1J2/76d2169d6bfe99602e49078df7f67360/Annual_Report_2023.pdf), (Access date: 8.12.2024).
75. Warner Music Group. (2021). Environmental, social & governance (ESG) report 2021. Access adress: https://www.wmg.com/wp-content/uploads/pdf/WMG_ESG_2021_Report_v1.pdf (Access date: 10.12.2024).
76. Warner Music Group. (2022). Environmental, social & governance (ESG) report 2022. (Access adress: https://www.wmg.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/WMG-ESG-2022-Report.pdf),(Access date: 10.12.2024).
77. Warner Music Group. (2023). Environmental, social & governance (ESG) report 2023 (Access adress: https://www.wmg.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/WMG-ESG-2023-Report.pdf), (Access date: 10.12.2024).
78. GLOBAL MUSIC REPORT 2024. (2024).(Access adress: https://ifpi-website-cms.s3.eu-west 2.amazonaws.com/IFPI_GMR_2024_State_of_the_Industry_db92a1c9c1.pdf#page=3.12) ,(Access date: 14.11.2024).
79. Yamaha Corporation. (2021). Sustainability report 2021.(Access adress: https://www.yamaha.com/en/sustainability/download/pdf/sr_2021_en.pdf), (Access date: 15.12.2024).
80. Yamaha Corporation. (2022). Sustainability report 2022.(Access adress: https://www.yamaha.com/en/sustainability/download/pdf/sr_2022_en.pdf), (Access date: 15.12.2024).
81. Yamaha Corporation. (2023). Sustainability report 2023.(Access adress: https://www.yamaha.com/en/sustainability/download/pdf/sr_2023_en.pdf), (Access date: 15.12.2024).
82. Yamaha Corporation. (2023). Make Waves 2.0: Materiality overview. (Access adress: https://www.yamaha.com/en/sustainability/overview/materiality/images/MakeWaves2.0_20230601_2.pdf), (Access date: 15.12.2024).