DIFFERENTIATION IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE CULTURAL AND CREATIVE SECTOR IN EUROPEAN COUNTRIES.

Purpose: The aim of the article is to assess the level of development of the cultural and creative sector in Poland in comparison with selected European countries. Design/methodology/approach: To assess the level of development of the cultural and creative sector, the Hellwig development pattern method and the Ward's agglomerative clustering method were used. A synthetic indicator was developed based on selected diagnostic features, which was used to create a ranking of European countries according to the level of development of the cultural and creative sector. Subsequently, using a dendrogram, countries were grouped based on the similarity of their features. Findings: The research results indicate variability in the development of the cultural and creative sector4countries were classified into groups with very high, high, low, and very low levels of the synthetic indicator, and clusters of European countries with similar levels of development based on selected diagnostic features were identified. Poland is characterized by an average level of development in the cultural and creative sector. France is the leader in this regard. Research limitations/implications: This article is part of the ongoing research efforts to create coherent conceptual foundations for defining the cultural and creative sector and understanding its mechanisms of influence on the economy. The presented research may also contribute to further, more in-depth analyses of the impact of the cultural and creative sector on the socio-economic development of European countries. Originality/value: The article addresses the controversies among researchers regarding the so-called "economisation of culture." It highlights the increasing importance of the cultural and creative sector in the economy, referencing international studies in this field. Based on diagnostic features selected by the author, a synthetic indicator was constructed to assess European countries in terms of the development of the cultural and creative sector. The article identifies the leaders in this area and the gap between them and Poland. It also distinguishes clusters of countries with similar levels of development based on selected diagnostic features. The analyses focus on the economic role of the cultural and creative sector. The research findings are directed towards the public authorities of the European countries under study, particularly Poland. They may provide guidelines for creating and developing legal and economic solutions that facilitate the growth of the cultural and creative sector. These efforts are of particular importance in the context of rising social welfare, which creates demand for goods and services in this sector, and the increasing expansion of digital technologies and artificial intelligence in various areas of socio-economic life, including creative work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]