Unit 1: Research Tasks

Please document everything you find and also the source of the information. Your research should go onto your blog and every task should be labelled clearly. Please complete a separate post for each task and label them 'B. Units 1 & 2'.

Task 1: Business analysis tools

• SWOT and PEST(EL) analyses - what are they and how can they be used?
• PEST(EL) analysis - what current factors are impacting businesses and ventures in the UK?
• What does / might Brexit mean for the creative industries? Start here.
• Cultural policy - what is currently happening in the UK? Start here.
• SWOT - conduct a personal SWOT analysis

Extension tasks:

• Think about a logo for your creative enterprise - if you are drawing a blank (ha!) then Google some examples and identify what you like about them
• Design a logo for your CE and gather feedback

Task 2: Types of business in the UK

Investigate and identify the various types of business in the UK, this should include:

• sole traders
• limited companies
• partnerships
• social enterprises
• charities
• unincorporated associations

Useful links:

• https://theartsdevelopmentcompany.org.uk/resources/what-is-the-best-business-model-for-my-social-enterprise/
• https://l4creativeenterprise.blogspot.com/2019/10/set-up-business-govuk.html
• https://l4creativeenterprise.blogspot.com/2019/10/types-of-company-in-uk.html

Extension task - find examples (preferably creative) for each of the above.

Task 3: Business plans and models

Use the blog post for a starting point.

• What is a business plan?
• What is a business model?
• What is meant by the term 'sustainable business model'?

Task 4: The brand

• What is a mission statement?
• What is brand positioning?
• What, in business, is meant by values and drivers?
• How can an individual, business or organisation market themselves?
• In business, what is a blueprint and how would this relate to customers and marketing?

Extension task - find creative examples for each of the above.

Task 5: Legislation and the creative industries

This is potentially a huge area, so let's start with some specifics:

• Intellectual Property
• Copyright (creative pieces, i.e., written work, moving image work, music, etc.)
• Trademarks
• What are talent releases?
• What are location releases?
• What are the rules about a. filming and b. performing in public in the UK?
• How might child labour laws impact the creative industries?
• What is public liability insurance?
• What is GDPR?
• What is The Competition Act 1998 and the Enterprise Act 2002?

Task 6: The creative economy

Talk from Chamber of Commerce.

Compared to other sectors in the UK, how well are the creative industries doing?

• What 'industries' make up the creative industries?
• How many people are employed in the UK?
• How much do the creative industries generate each year?
• What is the growth of the creative industries (comparatively)?

Useful links:

• https://www.thecreativeindustries.co.uk/uk-creative-overview/facts-and-figures
• https://www.nesta.org.uk/creative-economy-culture/
• https://www.gov.uk/government/news/britains-creative-industries-break-the-100-billion-barrier
• https://www.nesta.org.uk/news/creative-industries-are-driving-economic-growth-across-the-uk-on-track-to-create-one-million-new-creative-industries-jobs-between-2013-and-2030/
• https://www.screenskills.com/about-us/what-we-do/ (and various links throughout the site)
• https://creativeconomy.britishcouncil.org/guide/what-creative-economy/

Task 7: Regulatory frameworks

• What is a regulatory body and what is a regulatory framework?
• What is Ofcom, what does it do and what framework does it produce and follow?
• What is the ASA, what does it do and what framework does it produce and follow?
• What is the IPSO, what does it do and what framework does it produce and follow?
• What is the BBFC, what does it do and what framework does it produce and follow?
• What is PEGI, what does it do and what framework does it produce and follow?
• What is the Creative Industries Council and what is their involvement with regulation?

Task 8: Other considerations for businesses

You may find a lot of information for some of the sections below. If so, tighten your search to focus mainly on the sector  / career you are interested in.

• Finance - what sources of funding exist within the creative industries?
• Insurance - what types of insurance exist for the creative industries?
• Working from home - what are the considerations?
• Business rates - what are they?
• Geography, transport and accessibility - does it matter where a company / organisation is based? Does distance matter?

Useful links:

• https://www.thecreativeindustries.co.uk/media/322389/creative-industries-routes-to-finance.pdf
• https://www.gov.uk/tax-relief-for-employees/working-at-home
• https://www.gov.uk/introduction-to-business-rates
• https://www.thecreativeindustries.co.uk/resources/infographics

Task 9: Cultural policy

• What is the DCMS and what do they do?
• What are some of their more recent announcements?

https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-digital-culture-media-sport

Task 10: Your creative enterprise

• apply all of the above tasks to your own creative venture.