Researchers and practitioners suffer alike when it comes to cross-overs between creative industries and other sectors in the wider economy: Insights and empirical results are lacking to derive a theory as well as concrete guidelines, a double gap: Why and How ?
In a new – by the International Journal of Cultural and Creative Industries published – paper Frits Grotenhuis “describes four cross-overs in the Netherlands in the retail, smart industry, healthcare, and energy sectors. Based on these four cases, a model based on three phases in the development of cross-overs is proposed. Finally, guidelines for organizing cross-overs between creative industries and other sectors are offered.”
Grotenhuis was interim director of the topconsortium for knowledge and innovation TKI CLICKNL and obtained his PhD degree from the University of Groningen in collaboration with Eindhoven University of Technology, Waseda University in Tokyo, and the Dutch multinational Philips.
cross-over: theory and practical tipps
A cross-over model has been proposed with three phases:
(1) Quartermak- ing and investigating
(2) First pilot program and activities
(3) Upscaling and sustainable organization.
The practical lessons learned have been described as generic guidelines – pointing already to investment into staff and special skills, not only technology, business development or sales: Coordinating activities are one of the central bottlenecks ! They need to be addressed early in the process of cross-over innovation with the following practical profil:
“In first instance a quartermaker can be appointed who also investigates the feasability of a new cross-over. Later onwards, this may be a program manager who builds a strategic agenda, and coordinates different projects in addition to other networking activities. Coordination activities can consist of matchmaking, workshops, feasibility studies, network activities, or developing a concept of basic principles. This is important to develop and strengthen the cross-over network.”
a comment: “it is personal, you stupid !”
“No value creation without network creation! Economies of scale can be realized too – if one network serves for multi-sectorial and repeated value creations, the costs of building a network redeem quicker. Precondition are network members who individually live up to cross-sectorial competences and the patience to accept one´s own barriers at the cross-sections to other sectors. Being humble and being visionary at the same time is not an easy task for creatives in all sectors, but then cross-over networks would be indeed smart networks.”
Bernd Fesel, Director ECBN.
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