Abstract

There are overwhelming amount of interests in the exploration of business opportunities and commercial profits for gaming markets around the world. More specifically, the abrupt rise of potential profits for portable gaming market has caused incumbents to face tougher battles against teething new entrants competing for the world market share. Therefore it is becoming a much more interesting issue to discuss whether consumers, i.e. the end-users are taken into account regardless internal or external operations of their businesses. This paper aims to investigate in three broad areas which are also interrelated within the industry.

First, to explore the current product and process innovations from various portable gaming devices, especially with respect to end-users. Second, to discover the importance of retailers in its relationships to both the console manufacturers and end-users. Moreover, the benefits which created by the above linkages between manufacturers and retailers for consumers are highlighted. Finally, an amalgamation of views from a collection of gamers are analysed in order to provide alternative and more specific thoughts towards the current developments and future prospects of portable gaming. This paper concludes that there are several similarities in terms of the essence elements for product innovations between the manufacturers and end-users.

However, some technical specifications such as the screen resolution and graphics which said to be ignored by one firm may proved to be costly in terms of their future competitiveness of the market. Overall, this paper provides a taste of views from the three interrelated parties which enable the author to tackle the issues from all angles in order to generate a more balanced approach. Lastly, consideration with regards to end-users should be given prior to, during, and after product design and innovation processes.

Hung-Hsuan Denny YEH gained a BSc (Hons) in Mathematics and Management science from University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology (UMIST) in 2004. He then went onto study an MSc in Science and Technology Policy and Management from the University of Manchester. After studying various innovation processes-related literature he began to develop interests in this area and decide to write an dissertation based on those concepts. After several discussions amongst his follow students and friends he eventually came out with an idea by linking some interesting innovation theories into practice assisted by his own gaming experiences, which has been accumulating throughout many years.

"Trends and Trajectories in the Mobile Gaming Industry: Innovation, Competition and End-User Preferences" by Hung-Hsuan Denny YEH, M.Sc. in Science and Technology Policy and Management in the Faculty of Humanities, University of Manchester, Adobe Acrobat.