Culture and the Survival of UK Independent Games Software Firms

This paper reports on qualitative research that investigates the culture of survival among entrepreneurial UK games software development firms within the interactive entertainment industry. The survival culture depicts a culture where firms strive for cost efficiency in order to maximize their chance of continued operation. In-depth interviews with 12 managers illustrated a framework for understanding the cost advantages of surviving firms. It was found it was based on focusing on human relations, building critical inter-firm relationships and acknowledging the importance of cash flow, which were in turn supported by innovative product orientation. The analysis highlights that competitiveness within the interactive entertainment industry could be attained within market constraint and pressure.