Digital Transformation in the Creative Economy: Management Strategies for Business Sustainability

Abstract

Digital transformation has become a major driving force for creative economic growth across various subsectors, from design and culinary arts to fashion and the digital content industry. The accelerated adoption of technology has forced creative businesses to reimagine their marketing, distribution, and human resource management strategies to remain competitive and sustainable. While previous studies have generally discussed digital transformation in MSMEs and the manufacturing industry, research specifically integrating adaptive management strategies with business sustainability indicators in the small and medium-sized creative economy sector remains limited. This study aims to analyze how management strategies within the context of digital transformation can strengthen the sustainability of creative economy businesses, while also offering a conceptual framework that integrates digital capacity, transformational leadership, and ecosystem collaboration as elements of innovation. The study employed a descriptive qualitative approach with case studies of creative businesses in the graphic design and culinary sectors, supported by in-depth interviews, observations, documentation studies, and triangulation of sources and methods. The results indicate that the adoption of digital technologies, including social media, e-commerce platforms, big data, and cloud computing, significantly expands market reach and operational efficiency, while adaptive leadership, digital literacy, and cross-actor collaboration are key factors in the success of the transformation. This research contributes to the development of innovative, adaptive, and sustainable creative economy management strategies in the digital era