Evaluating Performance Metrics in Creative Industries: A Management Perspective on Success Indicators

The creative industries are characterised by unique dynamics of value creation, combining economic, cultural, artistic, societal, and managerial dimensions. Traditional performance metrics—largely derived from manufacturing and service sectors—may not adequately capture the complex success indicators in creative enterprises. Drawing on a management perspective, this study explores how performance metrics in creative industries can be evaluated, interpreted, and applied in practice. Through an in-depth qualitative investigation comprising semi-structured interviews with senior managers in creative firms, the study develops a theoretical framework linking performance metrics to strategic, operational, and symbolic success indicators. The findings identify three overarching categories of metrics: (a) commercial and financial metrics, (b) creative/quality and artistic metrics, and (c) relational/impact metrics. The paper discusses how managers negotiate metric choice, interpret results in context, and embed them in decision-making processes. Practical implications for management and policy are offered, including recommendations for metric design, dashboard use, and performance storytelling. The study contributes to the literature by advancing a multi-dimensional view of performance in the creative industries and offers a management-oriented framework for evaluating success indicators beyond purely financial measures. Keywords: creative industries, performance metrics, success indicators, management perspective, qualitative methodology, value creation