For over a century, the MBA has defined business leadership. Born in the industrial era, it trained managers for efficiency, making them skilled to power factories and production lines. But in today’s world of ideas and imagination, those qualities alone are no longer enough. The most valuable companies like Apple, Netflix, Airbnb and Tesla have succeeded not just through efficiency, but through creativity. They thrive in what economists now named the Creative Economy.

The creative economy is built on human imagination and intellectual capital, from design, media and fashion to gaming, architecture and cultural innovation. According to UNESCO and UNCTAD, it contributes over $2 trillion to global GDP and employs more than 50 million people worldwide.

Education is where that evolution begins. A new model of management education is emerging which is designed for a world in which creativity matters as much as efficiency.

The new relevance of creativity in management

Artificial Intelligence has automated much of what traditional managers once did. Algorithms can optimise supply chains and analyse financial risk, but they cannot imagine, design experiences or understand human emotion and qualities that define value in the digital age. As businesses become data-rich, their competitive edge lies in creatively using data to design better products, craft stories and build meaningful relationships with consumers.

The MBA of the future must teach not just how to manage systems, but how to design them. Programmes are now blending business fundamentals such as strategy, finance, marketing and leadership with creative disciplines like design thinking, human-centred innovation and systems design. Students work on real-world projects that demand collaboration between business and creativity, preparing them to lead transformation rather than merely manage processes. Executive-level options are also available for working professionals.

Careers in the creative economy

These hybrid professionals bridge the gap between boardrooms and creative studios.

In India, companies across technology, consumer goods and lifestyle sectors are hiring for these hybrid roles. Consulting firms have built innovation-design divisions, while start-ups recruit creative business managers to scale storytelling-led brands. With the creative sector projected to add Rs. 20 lakh crore to GDP by 2035, the demand for creative strategists will outpace supply for years to come.

The creative economy in Bangladesh is witnessing a sustained upswing through freelancing, digital content creation and multimedia work. As reported recently, many digital content creators on platforms such as YouTube, Facebook and TikTok are earning significantly more than typical office workers — some generating BDT 80,000–100,000 (~USD 500–800) per month, several times the typical monthly wage of BDT 20,000–30,000 for traditional jobs. This transforms creativity into viable income and livelihood, making content creation a serious career path for young Bangladeshis.

Freelancing more broadly has also become a major component of the national economy. According to a report in The Financial Express, the freelance sector has expanded rapidly over recent years due to increased internet access and growing interest in remote work. A 2024-study by the Oxford Internet Institute (OII) showed that Bangladesh is the second-largest supplier globally of online labourers, with 16 per cent labour share — and among them 60 per cent engaged in creative and multimedia work.

That suggests a large talent pool in Bangladesh capable of providing creative and design-led services — a fertile ground for creative strategists, content producers, brand storytellers and hybrid roles combining business, strategy and creative skills.

Leading in the age of AI and imagination

The next decade will belong to leaders who can combine analytical thinking with imagination. The MBA must therefore move beyond case studies and spreadsheets into empathy, storytelling and experimentation. These business programmes are designed not just to teach what the market is doing today but to anticipate what it will value tomorrow. In an AI-driven world, creativity is the ultimate differentiator. Those who can blend logic with imagination will define the next era of business. For aspiring professionals ready to think beyond boundaries, the proposition is simple but revolutionary: do not just learn to manage—learn to design the future.

The future belongs to the creative mind

Today’s students are entering a world of endless reinvention. Success will belong to those who can think creatively, collaborate intelligently and lead empathetically. A traditional MBA may prepare you to fit into the system. A new-age MBA prepares you to design the next one.

In the economy of the future, creativity is not just an advantage but it is the new currency of success.

Final takeaway

In today’s rapidly evolving business landscape, the premium is on leaders who can merge analytical rigor with imaginative vision. What organisations and individuals now need is the ability to design systems, narratives, and experiences that resonate on a human level. The future of leadership lies not merely in managing complexity but in catalysing change, embracing uncertainty, and turning ideas into meaning. In short: success will go to those who don’t just keep pace with the world—they help create it.