Computer Games and Organization Studies

Abstract

Computer games and organizations are becoming increasingly interwoven in the 21st century. Sophisticated computer games connected by networks are turning into spaces for organizing. Therefore, it may not be surprising that conventional organizations are now scrounging these games for novel ways to enhance efficiency. The result is the formation of game/organization hybrids; uneasy recontextualizations of partly incompatible ideas, values and practices. We begin this essay by elucidating what it is socially that makes something a game by exploring the notion’s anthropological foundations. We then introduce two examples of actual game/organization hybrids; raiding in computer games and gamification in formal organizations. We conclude by discussing the implications of such hybridization and suggest venues for how organization and management scholars can benefit from studying computer games and theories of play.

The Effect of Gamification on Psychological and Behavioral Outcomes: Implications for Cruise Tourism Destinations

“…Gamification enhances services and systems by creating experiences which are similar to those created by games. These game-like experiences help support and motivate users to perform reasoned actions and behavior encompassing positive attitudes toward services, and to actively participate in learning activities [7,22,28,29]. More importantly, gamified practices allow individuals to experience enjoyment, flow, autonomy, mastery, and accomplishment through various game design elements such as missions and quizzes [18].…”

Gamification of the work floor: A literature review of gamifying production and logistics operations

“…various systems, services, activities and organizations into more game-like [14] [34]. Gamification, therefore, commonly involves the use of game design as means to invoke similar experiences as games do and further affect people's behavior (in contexts not traditionally perceived as games or gameful) [14] [34].…”

“…various systems, services, activities and organizations into more game-like [14] [34]. Gamification, therefore, commonly involves the use of game design as means to invoke similar experiences as games do and further affect people's behavior (in contexts not traditionally perceived as games or gameful) [14] [34]. Therefore, gamification can further be broken down to three primary elements of interest [13] [14]: the gamification design, psychological mediators/outcomes and behavioral outcomes (see Figure 1).…”

“…Recently, the design approach of gamification [10][13] [14][34] has started to gather the attention of academics and practitioners as a way to increase performance of production and logistic operations in real-life organizational contexts [34]. Constituting a part of a larger cultural and societal development of games and gameful interaction permeating aspects of everyday life and work, the concept of gamification is often used to refer to the design approach of implementing elements (affordances, mechanics, technologies) familiar from games to contexts where they are not commonly encountered [10][13] [14].…”

“…However, as the potential of gamification is being increasingly discussed in various organizational contexts (e.g. [34]; see also 'gamification of work' in [4] [7]), more research on the topic can be expected to be published in coming years. As we demonstrate in this paper, the interest in gamification of the production and logistics work floor has increased over the past five years.…”