What are the Drivers, Barriers, Mechanisms, and Anchors of cross-industry cooperation? The Perspective of the Video Game Industry Ecosystem

This article explores the specifics of cross-sector cooperation within the Cultural and Creative Industries (CCI) from the perspective of the Video Game Industry Ecosystem (VGIE) based on integrating desk research (utilising a systematic literature review of 61 papers) and field research (through a focused group interview with ten experts representing mainly the actors from VGIE). Our two-step parallel study identifies key drivers and barriers in establishing such cooperation, highlights three coordination mechanisms essential during its execution (static-adaptive management, proximity, and knowledge management), and uncovers a significant research gap regarding the ending phase of such cooperation, despite our FGI revealing relevant factors contributing to its termination or dormancy. This work offers a theoretical contribution to the existing knowledge by synthesising and expanding the understanding of cross-industry cooperation between the VGIE and other CCIs. Moreover, it highlights significant research gaps, particularly in the final phase of cross-industry cooperation.