ABSTRACT

For firms in symbolic (creative) industries, the region is usually seen as the main arena for knowledge sourcing and exchange. Why and how these firms use global innovation networks remains however poorly understood. This paper draws on in-depth interviews with firm representatives and network data collected through a survey of video game developers in southern Sweden. Video game development is a typical example of a symbolic industry, encompassing the development of non-tangible and symbol-intensive products and services. In recent years, this industry has advanced from a niche sector into a global mass market. Understanding how the hybrid character of the industry – with strong symbolic cultural roots but also a significant global engagement – affects the geography of innovation networks is the focus of this paper. The analysis reveals that knowledge sourcing and exchange take place likewise on the regional and global scale, but for different purposes and through different mechanisms. It also shows that not all variance in network engagement can be explained by differences in industrial knowledge bases or regional innovation systems. In contrast, the target market and the nature and geography of demand are important explanatory factors.

摘要

对于具有象征性（创意）产业的公司，该地区通常被视为知识获取和交流的主要场所。这些公司为何以及如何使用全球创新网络仍然知之甚少。本文利用对公司代表的深入访谈和通过对瑞典南部视频游戏开发商进行的一项调查收集的网络数据。视频游戏开发是象征性行业的典型示例，其中包括非有形和符号密集型产品和服务的开发。近年来，该行业已从利基市场发展成为全球大众市场。本文的重点是了解具有象征文化底蕴但又具有重要的全球参与度的行业混合特征如何影响创新网络的地理位置。分析表明，知识的获取和交流同样在区域和全球范围内发生，但目的不同，机制也不同。它还表明，并非网络参与的所有差异都可以通过行业知识库或区域创新系统的差异来解释。相反，目标市场以及需求的性质和地理位置是重要的解释性因素。