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IntroductionPrevious research on the evolution of the video-game industry revealed that Japan's video-game industry prospered by drawing on rich creative talent nurtured in the comic book and animated-film industries, and technological expertise developed in the consumer electronics industry (Aoyama and Izushi, 2003). (1) Questions remain as to why such a successful fusion of creative resources across the industries was observed in Japan, and whether similar patterns of cross-industry transfer of skills also occur elsewhere. Comic books and animated films existed in North America and Europe before they did in Japan. Does the presence of a preceding industry necessarily lead to the emergence of a new industrial sector, and what are the conditions and mechanisms through which the fusion of creative talent occurs?In this paper we explore the interrelationship between technological progress and the formation of industry-specific skills by analysing the industry evolutions of three major video-game markets: Japan, the United States, and the United Kingdom. Our aim is to provide insights into the process of formation and subsequent evolution of new industries. Accounts that outline cross-sectoral fusion of skills and knowledge at the birth of a new industry remain limited, which is surprising given its long-recognised importance in economic growth at the local, regional, and national levels.

This article aims to gain a greater understanding of relevant and successful methods of stimulating an ICT culture and skills development in rural areas. The paper distils good practice activities, utilising criteria derived from a review of the rural dimensions of ICT learning, from a range of relevant initiatives and programmes.These good practice activities cover: (1) community resource centres providing opportunities for 'tasting' ICTs; (2) video games and Internet Cafés as tools removing 'entry barriers'; (3) emphasis on "user management" as a means of creating ownership; (4) service delivery beyond fixed locations; (5) the use of ICT capacities in the delivery of general services; and (6) selected use of financial support.1