arbiter
JournalsAccount

Entrepreneurial State as a Creative Destroyer: Comparison of Hong Kong and Singapore's Creative Industries

Bryan Cheang & Praharsh Mehrotra

Creativity and Innovation Management2026https://doi.org/10.1111/caim.70055article
AJG 2ABDC B
Weight
0.50

Abstract

This paper explores the limits of mission‐directed entrepreneurial states by drawing on the theory of recombinant innovation and F.A. Hayek's insights on the spontaneous growth of knowledge in society. First, the use of discretionary policymaking curtails the range of knowledge generated in the process of social interaction, limiting the scope for ideas to be fortuitously recombined. Second, by privileging a single overarching mission, the state may foster a social culture that encourages compliance with authority, limiting the epistemic curiosity in individuals necessary for creative innovation. We make this argument through a comparative historical analysis of Singapore and Hong Kong, which adopted divergent approaches to development. Despite rapid growth in both, the former's technocratic governance came at the expense of its creative sectors, while the latter's reliance on spontaneous solutions enabled strong creative industries to develop despite little state support. By using creative performance as a proxy for innovation‐led development, we exemplify the limits of top‐down governance. Rather than fostering creative destruction, the entrepreneurial state may end up being a creative destroyer.

Open via your library →

Cite this paper

https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1111/caim.70055

Or copy a formatted citation

@article{bryan2026,
  title        = {{Entrepreneurial State as a Creative Destroyer: Comparison of Hong Kong and Singapore's Creative Industries}},
  author       = {Bryan Cheang & Praharsh Mehrotra},
  journal      = {Creativity and Innovation Management},
  year         = {2026},
  doi          = {https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1111/caim.70055},
}

Paste directly into BibTeX, Zotero, or your reference manager.

Flag this paper

Entrepreneurial State as a Creative Destroyer: Comparison of Hong Kong and Singapore's Creative Industries

Flags are reviewed by the Arbiter methodology team within 5 business days.

Evidence weight

0.50

Balanced mode · F 0.40 / M 0.15 / V 0.05 / R 0.40

F · citation impact0.50 × 0.4 = 0.20
M · momentum0.50 × 0.15 = 0.07
V · venue signal0.50 × 0.05 = 0.03
R · text relevance †0.50 × 0.4 = 0.20

† Text relevance is estimated at 0.50 on the detail page — for your query’s actual relevance score, open this paper from a search result.