Measuring creativity: A case study in the UK's Designer Fashion sector

Since before the 1997 General Election, New Labour has repeatedly emphasized the importance of the creative industries in underpinning the national economy and as an engine of economic growth. The Creative Industries Task Force Mapping Documents of 1998 and 2001 sought to define and quantify in broad terms economic activity across 13 distinct creative industries. More detailed estimates have been published by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) in successive annual Creative Industries Economic Estimates.

An assessment is provided of the way in which the creative industries have been measured using the Office of National Statistics' Standard Industrial and Standard Occupational classifications (SIC and SOC). These classifications have themselves been revised since the early 1990s, and further revisions are in prospect from 2007. In this analysis particular focus is given to the ‘Designer Fashion’ sector, illustrated by a number of tables and data analyses.

These actual and proposed revisions have helped in documenting the rapidly emerging creative industries, which have reportedly grown at two to three times the rate of the UK economy as a whole. However, as the Regional Culture Data Framework published in 2002 records, serious problems remain in providing valid assessments of the creative industries sectors from ‘official’ published sources, even for the UK as a whole, let alone at the regional level emphasized by the Regional Culture Data Framework's regional sponsors. In any case, often the ‘scaling factors’ applied to official SIC codes to define creative industries appear arbitrary.

Many of the Regional Culture Data Framework's recommendations, notably the adoption of a more comprehensive ‘supply-chain’ approach to documenting the cultural sector, make further demands upon the existing official structural classifications and the data bases underpinning them. Even where all elements in the ‘supply chain’ are well documented, there are still questions about the validity of this approach. For example, should wholesale and retail distribution of creative industry products be regarded as part of the ‘Cultural Cycle’?

In conclusion, it is suggested that the ‘official’ data has marked limitations in documenting the creative industries and does not realistically or adequately capture the more interesting and dynamic elements of an industry like ‘Designer Fashion’. This is disappointing in a context where central government has placed increasing emphasis upon evidence-based policy to support the development of the creative industries, and where the British ‘Designer Fashion’ sector has lamented the lack of central support in comparison with the French or Italian industries. It is suggested that a more customized approach to collecting data about the creative industries is needed if the results are to usefully inform the further development and profile of these sectors.     

Estimating audiences: sampling in television and radio audience research

Cultural consumption is problematic from a number of different perspectives, but certain responses from producers, regulators and commentators depend on the measurement of consumption according to quantitative and qualitative parameters. The reliability of the data can vary widely, not least because in certain areas consumption is invisible to those who would measure it, and so they must make estimates based on assumptions about methodology and sampling techniques. Whereas in auditoria, turnstiles may quite accurately quantify footfall through the premises, and sale or return inspires high levels of confidence in circulation figures for certain types of publication, broadcasters perform to intangible audiences who can be neither counted nor observed en masse. This article considers the appropriateness of sampling techniques used to produce audience research data for the broadcasting industries, for the programmers and advertisers who need detailed ‘knowledge’ about their audiences. It draws on the contextualization in Cultural Trends 45 (Starkey, 2003), which examined the debate around competing methodologies using either innovatory electronic devices for the measurement of consumption or more traditional human recall. The article raises important questions for those who use sampling techniques in the cultural sector and those who would interpret their data.     

Integration of technology in the school curriculum

This paper describes, chronologically, the deliberations of a school staff in their decision-making to place technology education in their school. The outcome of these deliberations is a curriculum model whereby objectives of technology awareness, technological literacy, technological capability and transferable skills are integrated with all subjects in the school. The desired outcome is that students at this school will gain a technological education by, for example, attending classes in English, Home Economics, Mathematics, Social Studies, Science and Art. The implementation process is ongoing, is being evaluated and has already experienced senior staff changes and industrial disruption without loss of vigour or intent. Specializations: diagnosis of student learning and teaching for conceptual change, technology education, curriculum evaluation.     

Evaluierung von unterschiedlichen Trainingsmodellen bei berufstätigen Freizeitläufern

The aim of the study was to examine the effects of three different training models on aerobic power and body composition in recreationally active runners. According to their preferences 54 subjects (female=?27, male?=?27) were assigned to the following groups: (a) weekend group (WE), who performed two sessions of continuous endurance training weekly, (b) after-work group (FE) who carried out four sessions of high intensity training as well as an additional endurance run and (c) STAR group (STAR), who took part in a training with exercise telemetry monitors based on the heart rate variability. Over the 12-week study period the mean training volume was approximately 2 h 15 min per week. Of the participants 47 successfully completed the training study and all 3 groups showed significantly improved aerobic power (p?<0.001); however, the FE group (d?=?1.15) showed increased VO_2max superior to WE (d?=?0.48) and STAR (d?=?0.66) groups. Significant improvements in body mass (p?<?0.001), body fat (p?<?0.001) and visceral fat (p?<?0.001) were found in the WE, FE and STAR group. All groups completed the half marathon with no significant differences in performance. Based on a similar training volume, short, intensive endurance training sessions of about 30 min were found to elicit the greatest improvements of VO2max in recreationally active runners.     

Introducing technology education to young children: A design,make and appraise approach

The National Statement on Technology Education will soon be released in Australia. The statement advocates adesign,make andappraise approach to technology education. The document includes Year One children and provides exemplars of curriculum activities for early childhood children. Although much curriculum development in technology education for primary and early childhood has taken place in the UK, little research has been conducted within the early childhood area in Australia. This paper describes a study which sought to investigate how thedesign,make andappraise approach could be implemented within early childhood using existing materials, procedures and teaching programmes. In particular, the pre-school programme was considered to see if the approach was suitable for young children, and if girls could be encouraged into this newly defined area of study. Specializations: early childhood science education, early childhood technology education.