Adaptation in cultural industry under conservation pressure: case study of two Chinese embroidery clusters

Abstract

In this study, we explore how tension between ‘culture’ and ‘industry’ can be effectively dealt with in promoting cultural industry, taking the Chinese embroidery sector as an example. The diverging performance of two leading centers of Chinese embroidery production suggests that local adaptive and networking capabilities are essential in creating a new path out of the tension, and these capabilities are largely determined by local openness/flexibility, entrepreneurship, and linkage capacity. In Changsha, cultural conservatism prevails, and the local embroidery sector largely maintains traditional product styles and target customers, sticking to the historic path. It is in question, however, whether such a strong bias toward the high-culture segment of the industry is good for cultural heritage protection in the long run, given that the industry at standstill has faced increasing challenges in sustaining a solid local pool of skilled labor. In contrast, Suzhou’s local embroidery sector has actively responded to the changing market environment, through increased product segmentation and customization as well as intra/cross-industry collaboration. Such a flexible, scale-up strategy has helped the industry attract local talent and meet the market demand, while maintaining space for high-end artistic products.

Keywords:

• Cultural industry
• adaptive capability
• networking capability
• embroidery
• China

Acknowledgments

We would like to express our thanks to the two anonymous reviewers for their helpful comments, and to all of our interviewees for their valuable inputs. We are also grateful to Peggy P. C. Tsui for her excellent research assistance.

Supplemental data for this article can be accessed here.

Notes

1. Measured in 2015 constant US$.

2. Interviews #1, 5, 12, 21, 22, 23 and 24.

3. Interviews #21 and 23. See also Figure 4.

4. Interviews #21 and 24.

5. Interview #21.

6. Interviews #21, 22, and 23.

7. Interviews #16 and 20.

8. These SOEs include Hunan Xiang Embroidery Factory, Changsha City Embroidery Factory, Changsha County Embroidery Factory, Wangcheng Embroidery Factory, and Shaping Embroidery Factory.

9. Interviews #1, 3, 7, 9, 21 and 24.

10. Interviews #16, 20, and 21.

11. Interviews #16, 20, and 21.

12. interviews #25 and 26.

13. interview #25.

14. Interview #21.

15. Interview #21.

16. Interview #22.

17. Interview #23.

18. Interview #23.

19. Interviews #22 and 23.

20. Interview #24.

21. Interviews #22 and 24.

22. Interviews #1, 5, 12, 21, 22, and 24.

23. Interviews #12 and 23.

24. Interview #23.

25. Interviews #21 and 23.

26. Interview #23.

27. Interviews #8, 10 and 21.

28. Interview #22.

29. Interviews #25 and 26.

30. Interviews #20 and 21.

31. Interview #1.

32. Interview #24.

33. Interview #24.