Digital media and creative economy potential on youth employment in Kenya: a grounded theory perspective
Information and Learning Sciences
ISSN: 2398-5348
Article publication date: 26 June 2023
Issue publication date: 7 July 2023
Abstract
Purpose
Kenya leads East Africa in creative goods export and enjoys high internet penetration. Therefore, identifying pathways, missed opportunities for accelerating job creation and development in the sector and strategies for mitigating youth-related challenges are essential. This paper therefore aims to examine the effects of digital media and the cultural and creative industry (CCI) on youth employment and economic development.
Design/methodology/approach
The document review and analysis data came from 45 scientific and 23 grey literature articles. While the lack of primary data is a study limitation, secondary data were drawn from the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development Statistics and the 2016–2022 entertainment and media outlook analysis. Microsoft Excel 2021 for Windows was used to analyze quantitative data and generate results.
Findings
Since the CCI sector is characterized by limited financial opportunities, low youth participation in the labor force and weak policy frameworks, success in the industry requires key pathways. These include investment in digital-led innovations, developing innovative models, building partnerships with the private sector, strategic investment by government in the potential creative industry sub-sectors and identifying successful scaling-up models.
Originality/value
Information gathered through this study is crucial to counter the youth unemployment challenge and strategy identification, which could be used in skills and capabilities development in the potential creative economy. Future researchers must explore how to apply the proposed creative capacity theoretical lens to inform research in the sector.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
The author thank Roy Gitahi, the Founder of Art at Work Limited, a company that is facilitating creation of sustainable jobs for Kenyan youth in Sports and Arts, for his insights into the project, for his insights into the project and the three anonymous peer reviewers whose feedback and input helped improve this manuscript.
Funding: This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial or not-for-profit sectors.
Citation
Muchira, J.M. (2023), "Digital media and creative economy potential on youth employment in Kenya: a grounded theory perspective", Information and Learning Sciences, Vol. 124 No. 5/6, pp. 168-193. https://doi.org/10.1108/ILS-03-2022-0043
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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