For more than a century, the MBA degree has shaped business leadership by training managers for efficiency in the industrial era. Today, however, efficiency alone is insufficient. The most successful global companies like Apple, Netflix, Airbnb and Tesla have thrived through creativity and innovation, not just operational excellence. This shift reflects the rise of the Creative Economy, which UNESCO and UNCTAD estimate contributes over $2 trillion to global GDP and employs more than 50 million people worldwide. The Creative Economy relies on human imagination and intellectual capital across sectors like design, media, fashion, gaming and architecture. As artificial intelligence automates traditional managerial tasks, the competitive edge now lies in creativity, design thinking and human-centred innovation. A new model of management education is emerging that blends business fundamentals with creative disciplines, preparing leaders to design systems rather than merely manage them.
Creative Economy and Future Leadership Demand
The Creative Economy is built on human imagination spanning design, media, fashion, gaming and cultural innovation. In India, the creative sector is projected to add Rs. 20 lakh crore to GDP by 2035, creating enormous demand for hybrid professionals who bridge business strategy and creative studios. Companies across technology, consumer goods and lifestyle sectors are hiring for these roles. Consulting firms have established innovation-design divisions, while startups seek creative business managers for storytelling-led brands. Success in the next decade will belong to leaders who combine analytical thinking with imagination, empathy and experimentation. Traditional MBAs prepare students to fit into existing systems, but new-age programmes teach them to design future ones. Creativity has become the ultimate differentiator and the new currency of success.
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