Cultural Industries and Innovation-An Empirical Analysis

The multitude of research work on Creative industries speaks to the importance of this sector of the knowledge-based economy. Creative industries worldwide have witnessed rapid growth in the past decade and this has prompted more interest in this sector. Research on innovation in creative industries on the other hand has been rather limited, although several studies have indicated useful approaches to the management and organization of innovation relevant to the creative industries, however empirical studies in this respect are still far from comprehensive, hence prompting this empirical research on the impact of innovation on productivity in Creative Industries with a focal point on China Online Game Industry. This paper empirically studies the links between innovation and productivity at the firm level in Creative Industries using Chinese Online Game Industry as the focal point of its analysis. This paper bases its analysis on the recommendations of the Oslo Manual, this approach provides a way to achieve a high level of comparability within the Industry, it also provides standard definitions and indicators of innovation. The paper went further to adopt the scoring matrix approach in order to capture and delineate the various dimensions, dynamics and key features of online gaming enterprises in China. Indicators adopted in the analysis were selected based on literature review and statistical analysis. The empirical approach is based on data obtained from enterprise-based surveys of innovative activity in Chinese online game firms. The paper applied an econometric model of Research and Development, innovation and productivity interrelations at a firm level similar to that of Crépon, Duguet, and Mairesse (1998) for France, to the micro data obtained for China online gaming industry

Towards Economic Models for MOOC Pricing Strategy Design

MOOCs have brought unprecedented opportunities of making high-quality courses accessible to everybody. However, from the business point of view, MOOCs are often challenged for lacking of sustainable business models, and academic research for marketing strategies of MOOCs is also a blind spot currently. In this work, we try to formulate the business models and pricing strategies in a structured and scientific way. Based on both theoretical research and real marketing data analysis from a MOOC platform, we present the insights of the pricing strategies for existing MOOC markets. We focus on the pricing strategies for verified certificates in the B2C markets, and also give ideas of modeling the course sub-licensing services in B2B markets

Chinese multinational enterprises' firm-specific advantages and a critic on the international business theory

We argue that the extant literature tends to view that EMNEs do not have FSAs and in particular, innovation-based ownership advantages. This, however, is not a fact but a myth that deserves detailed examination. Drawing on a case study of four Chinese multinationals, we argue that some Chinese multinationals have brilliant innovation capabilities particularly in areas such as services-based innovation, architectural innovation and grafting innovation. This helps to explain their rapid rise and internationalisation. We therefore argue that Dunning’s OLI paradigm is still relevant in the context of EMNEs. However we also accept that the OLI paradigm needs to be taken with a complementary view that EMNEs also internationalise to augment their assets/capabilities. We call for further studies on EMNEs’ FSAs with a broader view of innovatio

Innovations in the video game industry: changing global markets

The paper examines the video game industry in the perspective of being the paradigm of innovation in digital media and content. In particular, it analyses the response to two main factors that have impacted this industry over the last decade. First, it tracks the evolution of its global market and its emerging geography with the rise of Asia. Second, within this global landscape the paper explores how the changes derived from mobile and on-line gaming enabled major transformations of this industry. From here, some conclusions on the lessons from the evolution of this sector for the whole media and content industries are presented

State transformation, reforms and economic performance in China, 1840–1910.

The period immediately after the Opium War (1840–42) marked the first stage of state transformation and economic reforms in modern China. During this period, the age-old socio-political and socio-economic structures and equilibria ended and new structures gradually took shape. Despite political hiccups, including the erosion of China’s sovereignty, the market worked its own way out and modern growth began.

Disruptive Innovation & Chance for Latecomer Firms in E-Commerce: The Cases of the YES and PINDUODUO

The e-commerce market is considered one of the potential but fully competitive markets. However, it is also clear that gap-filling or market-dominating is a never-ending process in the e-commerce market. For this reason, this is one of the amazing playgrounds attracting many participants. The question is How and by which latecomer firms can enter and succeed in the existing e-commerce market. Therefore, this paper analyses the chances for latecomer enterprises to enter the competitive e-commerce market. To pursue this goal, the paper will analyze the role of the disruptive innovation theory and its e-commerce applications. The results reveal that applying disruptive business-model innovation is a better way for fledgling e-commerce brands to enter the existing market and succeed in competing with incumbents. Furthermore, the case of THE YES – a women’s fashion e-commerce platform, and Pinduoduo – a Chinese largest agriculture-focused technology platform, are also analyzed as practical cases to join the research’s results

Market share competition in the Chinese online game industry.

This study investigates the impacts of pricing innovations and other non-pricing dimensions on the market share competition of dominant Chinese online game companies. The empirical context of my research is the strategic behaviour of online game operators (i.e. the companies who operate online games) in the Chinese online game market – the most active market in the world with strong network effects. According to the literature review, previous pricing studies have focused mainly on the evaluation of traditional pricing theories and their limited validity for the information economy. Velu (2005) pointed out how dominant firms in a market with strong network effects adopt business innovations to sustain their market dominance. This study first investigates the validity of Velu‟s theory and then aims to develop and expand the theory of pricing practice by discussing how dominant companies integrate pricing and other non-pricing dimensions during market share competition. With the application of an analytical synthesis, this study covers large parts of the traditional economy and information economy literature by linking the concepts of „within‟ and „across‟ theories of pricing and competition. It finally brings together different theories and adopts Bouwman and MacInnes‟ virtual web idea as an original conceptual framework to give an insight into how the pricing process and other internal and external factors impact differently on the market share competition. The study adopts a descriptive multiple-case study strategy including five dominant Chinese online game companies and employs qualitative data collected from 64 interviewees and reliable secondary data from documentations and archival records.The findings suggest that, instead of devoting all their efforts to pricing innovation, the companies have turned to an exploration of their internal resources to enhance their competitiveness. Superficially, as an influential external factor, government regulations have constrained the operation of imported games. The study also discusses two internal themes that influence each company‟s competitive strength. They are: how to deal with the exodus of talent and how to handle strategic alliance management. There seems to be no previous research concerning the relationship between pricing innovation and market dominance within a new economy‟s service sector. As a consequence, this research should provide insights into this academic blind spot and rationalize the diversity of strategic theory within the specific industry

BIT BANG 5: Changing Global Landscapes - Role of Policy Making and Innovation Capability

Bit Bang – Changing Global Landscapes: Role of Policy Making and Innovation Capability was the fifth multidisciplinary postgraduate course for Aalto University doctoral students. A total of 24 students from five Aalto University Schools participated in this two-semester course. The course focused on global competition for leadership in innovation, policy-making, technology, and science and education. The fundamental objective of the Bit Bang courses is to teach the students teamwork, multidisciplinary collaboration and scenario building, as well as provide the students with global perspective, and industry and business foresight. In addition to normal class activities the students worked in six person teams to study local and global strategies to strive for success. This joint publication contains the final reports of the teamwork assignments. In the chapters the students seek answers to what makes the difference between the leaders and the followers. The topics include e.g. the potential of additive manufacturing for bringing manufacturing industries back to Western countries, the link between national higher education systems and innovation capability at the nation level, and changing governmental structures to better match contemporary challenges. The Bit Bang post graduate courses are organised by Aalto University’sMultidisciplinary Institute of Digitalisation and Energy (MIDE)