Interest Representation in Graphic Design and Video Game Development in Italy: Demand, Supply and Influence on Working Conditions

This paper explores the supply and demand side of interest representation in two creative industries in Italy and how they influence working conditions. Relying on semi-structured interviews with key informants in graphic design and video game development, we will show that the arena of interest representation is dominated by non-traditional actors - such as trade and professional associations, and informal communities – which, differently from traditional ones, do not focus on market regulation, but rather on the promotion of workers’ individual capacity to stay on the market. We argue that this is connected with the peculiar way in which workers define their demands, which is characterised by a strong individual orientation. As a consequence, the influence of interest representation actors on working conditions in the two sectors is rather limited.