The impact of disruptive innovation on creative workers: the case of photographers

Abstract

The actual and potential impacts of technological disruption on established organisations and industries have received considerable attention. Yet, impacts on individual workers and professional groups, including in the creative sector that is at the forefront of disruption, remain under-examined. This study draws on in-depth interviews with professional photographers to explore how the convergence of technological innovations, digital media and crowdsourcing platform businesses have changed the nature of photographic work and employment in the industry, and how photographers have responded. The findings reveal that disruptive innovations have profoundly altered labour market dynamics, the value ascribed to photography services and the professional identity of photographers themselves. The implications for workers, including self-employed freelancers, are significant, especially in terms of social and economic opportunities and rights and protections. More broadly, the study contributes to the emerging literature on technology, disruption and the future of work.

Keywords:

• Creative work
• disruption
• freelancer
• technology
• photography
• professional agency

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Data availability statement

Due to the nature of this research, participants of this study did not agree for their data to be shared publicly, so supporting data is not available.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Australian Research Council Discovery Project under Grant DP180101191.

Notes on contributors

Penny Williams

Dr Penny Williams research explores how work is changing, with a focus on the challenges that technology, digital platforms and new modes of employment present for organisations, individuals and wider society. Her projects investigate participation in the gig economy, flexible work arrangements, digital capability/employability skills for university graduates, and the impact of technology on creative workers and care work. Penny is a lecturer in the School of Management at QUT.

Paula McDonald

Paula McDonald is Professor of Work and Organisation, Associate Dean Research in the QUT Business School and visiting Professor at Queen Mary University London. Paula's research addresses topics including: the dimensions of digital platform work; education to work transitions for young people; social media in employment; customised and flexible work; and socio-legal aspects of workplace discrimination.

Robyn Mayes

Robyn Mayes is an Associate Professor in the School of Management at Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia. Her research interests include labour migration, gender, rurality, and community. This research is grounded in empirical work which critically examines the Australian mining sector, but also encompasses creativity in rural communities, temporary migration, fly-in-fly-out mobilities, corporate social responsibility, women and work, and the place of local communities.