Generation Z and Digital Business Models in Cultural and Creative Industries

Commissioned by: The Institute of Economics, Zagreb (EIZ Projekt 2026)
Project duration: May 22, 2026 - November 22, 2027
Project manager: Tajana Barbić
Collaborators: Jelena Budak, Iva Čondić-Jurkić

Summary: 
The digital transformation of cultural and creative industries (CCIs) has reshaped the production, distribution, and monetization of cultural goods, with platform-based business models becoming increasingly dominant. Generation Z (Gen Z), as the first fully digital-native generation, plays a central role in this transformation as both consumers of digital cultural content and future creators and entrepreneurs. This project examines how Croatian Gen Z university students perceive, use, and evaluate digital business models in CCIs, and how these perceptions relate to consumption behavior, willingness to pay, digital and creative skills, and entrepreneurial intentions. The research will conduct a large-scale online survey among students enrolled in public and private higher-education institutions. Advanced econometric methods will be used to identify the key determinants of monetization acceptance and entrepreneurial orientation in CCIs. The findings will contribute to academic research and provide evidence-based recommendations for cultural, education, and innovation policies.