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Designing for a Living? Income Determinants Among Firm Founders in the Dutch Design Sector

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  • Arthur Vankan
  • Koen Frenken
  • Carolina Castaldi

Abstract

Many studies have analysed the role of the creative class in fostering regional development. The focus on regional development neglects the individual differences in success among members in the creative class and among firms within creative industries. We study firm founders in three design sectors (industrial design, graphic design and web design) and analyse the determinants of their personal income. Next to individual factors affecting income differences among designers, we look at the relational and spatial contexts in which designers operate. Hence, we can also assess whether spatial clustering and organisational networking are beneficial for designers. The main result, based on 200 telephonic questionnaires, holds that income is determined mainly by business experience and the use of advanced Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs), while education and spatial clustering have no impact. We argue that policies in the design sector should be oriented towards helping young designers to gain experience as well as towards life-long learning in the use of ICTs.

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  • Arthur Vankan & Koen Frenken & Carolina Castaldi, 2014. "Designing for a Living? Income Determinants Among Firm Founders in the Dutch Design Sector," Industry and Innovation, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 21(2), pages 117-140, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:indinn:v:21:y:2014:i:2:p:117-140
    DOI: 10.1080/13662716.2014.896160
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    1. Christine Benna Skytt-Larsen & Lars Winther, 2015. "Knowledge Production, Urban Locations and the Importance of Local Networks," European Planning Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 23(9), pages 1895-1917, September.
    2. Castaldi, Carolina, 2018. "To trademark or not to trademark: The case of the creative and cultural industries," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 47(3), pages 606-616.
    3. Carolina Castaldi, 2021. "Sustainable innovation and intellectual property rights: friends, foes or perfect strangers?," LEM Papers Series 2021/11, Laboratory of Economics and Management (LEM), Sant'Anna School of Advanced Studies, Pisa, Italy.

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