A revised perspective on innovation policy for renewal of mature economies – Historical evidence from finance and telecommunications in Sweden 1980–1990

What is the role of innovation policy for accomplishing renewal of mature industries in Western economies? Drawing upon an unusually rich dataset spanning 9752 digitized archival documents, we categorize and code decisions taken by policymakers on several levels while also mapping and quantifying the strategic activities of both entrant firms and incumbent monopolists over a decade. Our data concerns two empirical cases from Sweden during the time period 1980–1990: the financial sector and the telecommunications sector. In both industries, a combination of technological and institutional upheaval came into motion during this time period which in turn fueled the revitalization of the Swedish economy in the subsequent decades. Our findings show that Swedish policymakers in both cases consistently acted in order to promote the emergence of more competition and de novo entrant firms at the expense of established monopolies. The paper quantifies and documents this process while also highlighting several enabling conditions. In conclusion, the results indicate that successful innovation policy in mature economies is largely a matter of strategically dealing with resourceful vested interest groups, alignment of expectations, and removing resistance to industrial renewal

Svensk dataspelsutveckling, 1960–1995 : Transkript av ett vittnesseminarium vid Tekniska museet i Stockholm den 12 december 2007

 The witness seminar ”Svensk dataspelsutveckling, 1960–1995” was held at Tekniska museet [the National Museum of Science and Technology] in Stockholm on December 12, 2007 and was led by Mirko Ernkvist. The participants were Swedes that had been involved in the development of computer games during this period. The development process of several pioneering computer games were discussed from the perspective of the developers themselves. These games included: a demonstration game on the Saab manufactured computer D2 (1960–61), Stugan (1978), Space Action (1983), Fairlight (1985), Time Zero (1985), several games by Team17 (1990–) and Backpacker (1995). Computer game development efforts were initiated early in the Swedish history of computing, even by international comparisons. The first known Swedish game with moving graphics was a demonstration game for D2 displayed on an oscilloscope from the early 1960s. When computers became more widespread among Swedish universities, game development efforts soon followed. The first Swedish adventure game, “Stugan” was released in 1978 on the computers at Stockholm Datacentral, QZ. Subsequently, the introduction of home computers in Sweden in the early 1980s enabled more widespread Swedish game development efforts. Many Swedish game developers from this time were self-learned, but several were also involved in some of the computer groups that emerged during this time. These groups cracked, compressed, modified and traded computer games and created demos. The cracker and demo culture of the 1980s provided an environment of learning, socialization, and competition for many Swedish game developers. England that had a more established computer game industry during the 1980s provided opportunities for some of the Swedish game developers. The game “Fairlight” by a Swedish developer was published by an English game company and another Swedish game developer was one of the founders of the English game company Team17. Other Swedish game development projects discussed such as “Space Action”, “Time Zero” and “Backpacker” had Swedish companies as publishers

Svensk dataspelsutveckling, 1960–1995 : Transkript av ett vittnesseminarium vid Tekniska museet i Stockholm den 12 december 2007

 The witness seminar ”Svensk dataspelsutveckling, 1960–1995” was held at Tekniska museet [the National Museum of Science and Technology] in Stockholm on December 12, 2007 and was led by Mirko Ernkvist. The participants were Swedes that had been involved in the development of computer games during this period. The development process of several pioneering computer games were discussed from the perspective of the developers themselves. These games included: a demonstration game on the Saab manufactured computer D2 (1960–61), Stugan (1978), Space Action (1983), Fairlight (1985), Time Zero (1985), several games by Team17 (1990–) and Backpacker (1995). Computer game development efforts were initiated early in the Swedish history of computing, even by international comparisons. The first known Swedish game with moving graphics was a demonstration game for D2 displayed on an oscilloscope from the early 1960s. When computers became more widespread among Swedish universities, game development efforts soon followed. The first Swedish adventure game, “Stugan” was released in 1978 on the computers at Stockholm Datacentral, QZ. Subsequently, the introduction of home computers in Sweden in the early 1980s enabled more widespread Swedish game development efforts. Many Swedish game developers from this time were self-learned, but several were also involved in some of the computer groups that emerged during this time. These groups cracked, compressed, modified and traded computer games and created demos. The cracker and demo culture of the 1980s provided an environment of learning, socialization, and competition for many Swedish game developers. England that had a more established computer game industry during the 1980s provided opportunities for some of the Swedish game developers. The game “Fairlight” by a Swedish developer was published by an English game company and another Swedish game developer was one of the founders of the English game company Team17. Other Swedish game development projects discussed such as “Space Action”, “Time Zero” and “Backpacker” had Swedish companies as publishers

Differentiation in digital creative industry cluster dynamics: the growth and decline of the Japanese video game software industry

<p>The growth of digital creative industries has received increasing interest in economic geography, but our knowledge of factors shaping the longer-term growth and decline of digital creative industry clusters remains limited. We address this issue through a longitudinal case study of the Japanese video game software industry during the last three decades. Drawing on a theoretical framework emphasizing the link between differentiation of game intellectual properties (IPs) and competitiveness in creative industries, we suggest that an important role in the growth and subsequent decline of the Japanese video game industry could be attributed to enabling and constraining changing technological and market conditions related to the Japanese cluster’s ability to produce differentiated game IPs. A previously highly competitive system lost much of its competitiveness. Technological change in the industry made it difficult for the Japanese cluster to maintain previous levels of differentiation when facing increasing development costs and less cross-sectoral cultural skill transfer.</p

Wherever Hardware, There’ll be Games: The Evolution of Hardware and Shifting Industrial Leadership in the Gaming Industry

The paper concerns the role of hardware in the evolution of the video game industry. The paper argues that it is necessary to understand the hardware side of the industry in several senses. Hardware has a key role with regard to innovation and industrial leadership. Fundamentally, the process can be understood as a function of Moore’s law. Because of the constantly evolving technological frontier, platform migration has become necessary. Industrial success has become dependent upon the ability to avoid technological lock-ins. Moreover, different gaming platforms has had a key role in the process of market widening. Innovatory platforms has opened up previously untouched customer segments. It is argued that today’s market situation seems to be ideal to the emergence of new innovatory industrial combinations

Wherever Hardware, There’ll be Games: The Evolution of Hardware and Shifting Industrial Leadership in the Gaming Industry

The paper concerns the role of hardware in the evolution of the video game industry. The paper argues that it is necessary to understand the hardware side of the industry in several senses. Hardware has a key role with regard to innovation and industrial leadership. Fundamentally, the process can be understood as a function of Moore’s law. Because of the constantly evolving technological frontier, platform migration has become necessary. Industrial success has become dependent upon the ability to avoid technological lock-ins. Moreover, different gaming platforms has had a key role in the process of market widening. Innovatory platforms has opened up previously untouched customer segments. It is argued that today’s market situation seems to be ideal to the emergence of new innovatory industrial combinations

Varför kan teknik slå politik?

Jan Stenbeck sade att ”[t]eknik slår politik”. Hans egen gärning visar att nya företag ibland klarar av att inte bara introducera helt ny teknik, utan också att proaktivt förändra de formella och informella institutioner som styr en bransch. Med utgångspunkt i vår egen forskning på området diskuterar vi hur nya företag går tillväga för att genomdriva tekniska och institutionella omvälvningar. Våra studier av Uber, Optionsmäklarna (OM) och Axis Communications påvisar hur skillnader i kompetenser, incitament och snabbhet skapar möjligheter, samt att de nya aktörerna framgångsrikt kombinerar strategi i den kommersiella domänen med systematisk bearbetning av institutionerna.

Wherever Hardware, There’ll be Games: The Evolution of Hardware and Shifting Industrial Leadership in the Gaming Industry

The paper concerns the role of hardware in the evolution of the video game industry. The paper argues that it is necessary to understand the hardware side of the industry in several senses. Hardware has a key role with regard to innovation and industrial leadership. Fundamentally, the process can be understood as a function of Moore’s law. Because of the constantly evolving technological frontier, platform migration has become necessary. Industrial success has become dependent upon the ability to avoid technological lock-ins. Moreover, different gaming platforms has had a key role in the process of market widening. Innovatory platforms has opened up previously untouched customer segments. It is argued that today’s market situation seems to be ideal to the emergence of new innovatory industrial combinations