A Study On The Cluster Development Of Chinese Animation Industry

The animation industry is an indispensable part of the culture creative industry, entertainment industry and digital industry. As a green industry, it has attracted worldwide attention in the 21st century. It has been considered in succession by different countries as a "risingsun industry", which has been prioritized for development. At present, in the countries where culture creative industry is highly developed, the animation industry enjoys a great consumption market and industrial cluster economy.Through an analysis of the development reality of the Chinese animation industry, the dessertation reveals the difficulties and main problems in its development. Based on the status-quo of the Chinese animation industry and the successful experiences of countries well developed in the animation industry, it seeks the development pattern and realistic route, analyzes the crucial points and trends of the animation industry, studies the actual and virtual space of its development, and provides a guide for its development both in theory and in practice.Low concentration, fierce competition, and lack of scale economy are the reality of the development of the Chinese animation industry. Judging by the rules of the industrial development, the animation industry, characterised as "small, loose and weak", does not satisfy the requirements of the development of the market economy and are not suitable for the globalization trend of the culture industry. In particular, the Development Planning of the Culture Industry, issued in 2009, lists the animation industry as one of the state strategic industries and makes it a huge problem for China as a late starter, how to surpass those countries which are well-developed in animation industry. Recently, in a domestic environment where the shift of industrial structures and economy growth model are greatly advocated, China makes great efforts in building animation industry zones, which could function as the actual bearer of the animation industry cluster and the growth pole for regional animation economy. Moreover, the polarization effect of the animation industry zones serves to centralize the animation enterprises, integrate the animation resources, and increase the industry concentration so as to promote the cluster development of the Chinese animation industry. Take the animation industry in Changsha as an example, it is pointed out that Chinese animation industry is beyond doubt intensive rather than integrative, from the following eight indicators, namely, distribution, professionalization, social cooperation, networking, industry scale, industry chain, roots and major investors. Besides, the OEM operation of the enterprises in the animation industry base as well as the role of "World Factory" are the main predicament and problem for the development of the Chinese animation industry.The cluster development of animation industry cannot be achieved through its automatic selection by the market force in the backward conditions. Based on the cluster development model abroad, the economic development model of China, and the Late-developing Advantage Theory, it is believed that the state domination is the right choice. Under the macro regulation and control of the country, the industry cluster is formed by the fact that the market plays a fundamental role in the distribution of animation resources and the government maintains powerful intervention and guidance. The state domination model is in line with Chinese economy growth model and fits the condition of the "small, loose and weak" animation industry, which is a model with Chinese Characteristics and embodies the state interests and strategy in the development of this industry. Within the state-dominated model, it is a feasible plan to cultivate the leading animation enterprises and improve the industrial chains, which are concrete steps for the development of the Chinese animation industry cluster.In the development of the animation industry cluster, it is asserted in this dessertation that "self-reliance" and "innovation" are the keys to the implementation of the development strategy of the Chinese animation industry cluster. Independent research and development, independent design and operation on the independent animation brands with independent intellectual property rights, is not only the uniqueness of the animation industry as a cultural and creative industry cluster, but also a critical node for the Chinese animation industry to gain competitiveness internationally and enhance the soft power of China. Only equipped by independent animation brands with independent intellectual property rights, can China's animation industry get out of the "smile curve", of which the middle part are-processing and manufacturing, and stride forward to both higher value-added ends-the brand and marketing, in order to enhance the status of the Chinese animation industry in the global value chain. Therefore, China's animation industry cluster can avoid the risks of "hollowing out" and "marginalization", which enbable the competitive advantage of the cluster to realize a transition from "low cost competitiveness" to "brand competitiveness". Only in this way can China's animation industry cluster kill two birds with one stone, that is, obtain the economic effect of the cluster and gain the cultural brand meanwhile. In addition, innovation is the internal driving force and core strength for the Chinese animation industry cluster development. For China, the key for the transition of the Chinese animation industry cluster from the cheap "low cost competitiveness" to the high value-added "brand competitiveness", and from the "low end cluster" to "high end cluster" lies in "innovation". In short, the trend for the development of the Chinese animation industry cluster resides on the following aspects:to train creative animation talent, to encourage independent innovation by enterprises of the animation industrial cluster, to improve the innovation environment of the animation industry cluster, and to promote the transition from "labor-based cluster" to "innovative cluster" by the Chinese animation industry cluster.Animation industry cluster is a historical trend and realistic orientation for the world animation industry. This dessertation puts forward that as an emerging industry, animation industry not only has the industrial characteristics of the geographic cluster, but also the unique quality of the virtual cluster. The geographical cluster for the animation industry is based on "geographical proximity" and the virtual animation of the industry cluster is based on "organizational proximity". The former focuses on the "actual space" of the animation industry cluster, while the latter highlights the "virtual space". The virtual cluster of the animation industry expands the space area of the geographic cluster, which in the information age, is a new form of industrial organization and a complement of the geographical cluster. The geographical cluster of the animation industry is the foundation and guarantee for a virtual animation cluster. The virtual cluster of the animation industry, only by employing the information network based on the actual space of the geographical cluster in the animation industry, can it achieve integration and optimization of animation resources, capabilities, animation services and animation products in a wider range, as well as cooperation among cross-regional inter-animation enterprises. Based on this, this dissertation argues that, for the animation industry, the geographical cluster of actual space is a development strategy, and the network cluster of the virtual space is also a development scheme.