Social Network Analysis of Innovation Cluster in Creative and Cultural Value Chain: Case of George Town World Heritage Site

本研究针对一个文化底蕴丰富的遗址中的创意文化集聚现象进行研究。该项目将探讨不同行为者在保护和传播文化遗产的同时，在文化区发展企业方面的作用问题。因此，这项研究定位于一场关于文化保护、城市重建和旅游业之间联系的更广泛的辩论中。选择的地点是后英国殖民时期的马来西亚城镇乔治城。自1997年《租金控制法》废除以来，该镇经历了中产阶级化。2008年被联合国教科文组织列入世界遗产名录后，随着旅游业的增长和外部资本投资的涌入，士绅化的步伐进一步加剧。士绅化导致长期居民流离失所，并造成当地文化和遗产的侵蚀--这是许多世界遗产地中的一个全球现象。文化区的发展正在成为城市规划的重要工具，有助于促进城市中心的发展和振兴衰落中的社区。回顾现有的创新创业生态系统模型，这些模型的范围在捕捉民间社会行为者方面存在差距，对文化集群现象的解释不足。因此，他们在为城市规划决策者、创新社区、文化组织和小企业提供信息方面是不够的。本项目的主要目标是：1)为创意和文化区开发创新创业生态系统的关系模型；2)为乔治敦创意经济的发展和文化遗产的保护提供社交网络洞察力；3)制作一份关于乔治敦创意和文化区发展战略的政策简报。了解这些网络和角色将使一个新的创业和创新生态系统关系模型的概念发展成为可能，特别是对于文化区。这项研究将通过面对面的管理问卷收集大约。乔治城创意和文化价值链中的1000名演员的网络关系。我们将使用UCINET来分析和绘制这一网络，并确定其优势和劣势。基于这些发现，我们将对网络中的核心参与者进行六个深入的案例研究，以获得关于他们如何构建创新和创业网络的丰富的定性见解。这种方法为创意文化区创新创业模式的发展和概念化提供了一种新的途径。该模式更普遍地适用于其他小城镇和城市，特别是世界遗产地，在那里有潜力建立一个创意和文化区，赋予当地居民机会。为了产生更大的影响，我们计划为乔治城制作一份文化区政策简报。这份简报将以社交网络分析的结果和对英国和槟城现有政策的审查为基础。我们将组织马来西亚代表到伦敦、内斯塔和文化部的创意区进行考察访问。研究人员是来自英国和马来西亚的多学科专家。设在槟城的两个项目伙伴被邀请为研究进程作出贡献，并在决策进程和当地社区的创新和创业活动中推动调查结果。我们将为当地研究人员举办知识分享和转移研讨会。将举办一次针对当地决策者、非政府组织和当地创意企业的反馈和传播研讨会。

This research addresses the phenomenon of creative and cultural cluster in a site with a rich cultural heritage. The project will explore questions regarding the role of different actors in developing businesses in cultural districts while preserving and disseminating their cultural heritage. Hence, the research is positioned in a wider debate regarding the links between cultural preservation, urban regeneration and tourism.The selected site is George Town, a post-British colonial town in Malaysian. The town has experienced gentrification since 1997 after the repeal of Rent Control Act. The pace gentrification exacerbated with the growth of tourism and influx of external capital investment after its have been inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2008. Gentrification induces displacement of long-term residents and causes erosion of local culture and heritage - a global phenomenon in many World Heritage Sites.Nonetheless, a creative and cultural value chain has been developed with involvement of various local and external actors. The development of cultural district is becoming an important tool for urban planning in fostering the development of urban centres and revitalising neighbourhoods in decline. Reviewing the existing models of innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem, there is a gap in the scope of these models in capturing civil society actors and insufficiently explaining the phenomena of cultural clusters. Thereby, they are inadequate in informing urban planning policy makers, the innovation community, cultural organisations and small businesses.The main objectives of this project are:1) To develop a relational model of innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem for creative and cultural districts2) To provide social network insights for the development of creative economy and conservation of cultural heritage in George Town3) To produce a policy brief on strategies for developing creative and cultural districts in George Town This research intends to deploy a novel approach using Social Network Analysis to identify actors and their networks. Understanding these networks and roles will enable the conceptual development of a novel relational model of entrepreneurship and innovation ecosystem, specifically for cultural districts.This research will collect, via face-to-face administrated questionnaires, approx. 1000 network relations of actors in the creative and cultural value chain in George Town. We will use UCINET to analyse and map this network and identify its strengths and weaknesses. Based on these findings, we will conduct six in-depth case studies of core actors in the networks to gain rich qualitative insights on how they build innovative and entrepreneurial networks. This method is a novel approach to develop and conceptualise a model of innovation and entrepreneurship for creative and cultural district. The model is applicable more generally to other small towns and cities, particularly world heritage sites, where there is a potential to build a creative and cultural district empowering local residents with opportunities.For greater impact, we plan to produce a policy brief on cultural districts for George Town. This brief will be built on the findings of the Social Network Analysis and a review of existing policies in the UK and Penang. We will organise a study visit for Malaysian delegates to creative districts in London, NESTA, and the Department of Culture.The researchers are multi-disciplinary experts from the UK and Malaysia. Two project partners based in Penang are invited to contribute to the research process as well as take the findings forward in policy-making process and in innovation and entrepreneurial activities among the local community. We will organise knowledge sharing and transfer workshops for local researchers. There will be a feedback and dissemination workshop targeting local policy makers, NGOs, and local creative businesses.