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Art is long, innovation is short: Lessons from the Renaissance and the digital age

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  • Sapsed, Jonathan
  • Tschang, Feichin Ted

Abstract

Creative processes are partly stable over the ages, and partly influenced by their techno-historical contexts. In this paper we examine the effects of technology on creative effort in two historical periods separated by five hundred years: the early Italian Renaissance and the contemporary Internet age with the production of art for digital products such as video games and animation. We examine how human creative processes, or more broadly, creative work, can be conceptualized as a general nature within a complex framework of evolving practices, technologies, and social norms. Commonalities emerge by comparing these two ages. In particular, creative work can be thought of as a combinative activity, operating on motifs in culture, and bounded by their social acceptance. Second, creative work involves techniques that expand the frontier of creative output. Third, creative work involves much iteration, facilitated by the media, techniques and technologies. We examine the constants in human combinative creativity by comparing these ages, as well as how this combinative creativity and iterative activity is mediated differently by the technologies of the time.

Suggested Citation

  • Sapsed, Jonathan & Tschang, Feichin Ted, 2014. "Art is long, innovation is short: Lessons from the Renaissance and the digital age," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 83(C), pages 127-141.
  • Handle: RePEc:eee:tefoso:v:83:y:2014:i:c:p:127-141
    DOI: 10.1016/j.techfore.2013.09.014
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Ted Tschang, F. & Szczypula, Janusz, 2006. "Idea Creation, Constructivism and Evolution as Key Characteristics in the Videogame Artifact Design Process," European Management Journal, Elsevier, vol. 24(4), pages 270-287, August.
    2. Xavier Castañer & Lorenzo Campos, 2002. "The Determinants of Artistic Innovation: Bringing in the Role of Organizations," Journal of Cultural Economics, Springer;The Association for Cultural Economics International, vol. 26(1), pages 29-52, February.
    3. Cappetta, Rossella & Cillo, Paola & Ponti, Anna, 2006. "Convergent designs in fine fashion: An evolutionary model for stylistic innovation," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 35(9), pages 1273-1290, November.
    4. F. Ted Tschang, 2007. "Balancing the Tensions Between Rationalization and Creativity in the Video Games Industry," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 18(6), pages 989-1005, December.
    5. -, 1981. "Caracteristicas culturales de la poblacion," Libros y Documentos Institucionales, Naciones Unidas Comisión Económica para América Latina y el Caribe (CEPAL), number 2846.
    6. Chris Freeman & Luc Soete, 1997. "The Economics of Industrial Innovation, 3rd Edition," MIT Press Books, The MIT Press, edition 3, volume 1, number 0262061953, April.
    7. F. Ted Tschang, 2005. "Videogames As Interactive Experiential Products And Their Manner Of Development," International Journal of Innovation Management (ijim), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 9(01), pages 103-131.
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    1. Jen Snowball & Delon Tarentaal & Jonathan Sapsed, 2021. "Innovation and diversity in the digital cultural and creative industries," Journal of Cultural Economics, Springer;The Association for Cultural Economics International, vol. 45(4), pages 705-733, December.
    2. Fauchart, Emmanuelle & Bacache-Beauvallet, Maya & Bourreau, Marc & Moreau, François, 2022. "Do-It-Yourself or Do-It-Together: How digital technologies affect creating alone or with others?," Technovation, Elsevier, vol. 112(C).
    3. Bernardo Mueller, 2022. "Recombination for innovation and market impact: Samples and features in hip hop music," Journal of Evolutionary Economics, Springer, vol. 32(3), pages 929-953, July.

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