Due to the fast growing importance of the Internet one can observe a significant influence on all parts of the economy. The new Internet economy completely restructures given economic rules, not only because of the new opportunities, also because of the shifting power positions between customer and producer.
One part of this new economy is the existence of online communities, these groups of users show a specific focus (mainly a common topic or interest) and with the increasing possibilities of communications, new social networks are created online. The online communities already have a large influence on the economic, because they offer various opportunities and many potential customers.
This thesis focuses on a special aspect of online communities, the influence of lead users at the example of an online gaming community. Lead users often have needs that will be significant for the future market evolution, because the majority will also have them in the near future. At the example of the gaming market, lead users are often professional players with a serious game interest and a high motivation to further improve the games. Also the current status of other communities with a similar focus is evaluated.
The approach in this thesis features a large scaled online questionnaire, which aims to identify the current needs of the players and pinpoints the significant influence of the lead users. Mainly with regard to the position of the lead users in the gaming market (they act as guides for casual players) this influence and the consequences for a potential online gaming community are evaluated. Furthermore each hypothesis is analyzed individually and discussed afterwards. The approach and the statistical evaluation are described in depth and discussed from a managerial perspective afterwards, in order to draw conclusions for the design of a potential online community with a gaming focus.
Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)
- 1. Introduction.
- 2. Background........
- 2.1 Motivation....
- 2.2 Internet Economy.
- 2.2.1 Online Communities......
- 2.2.2 Network Effects
- 2.2.3 Critical Mass
- 2.2.4 Lead User...
- 2.3 Gaming Market.
- 2.3.1 Historical Evolution
- 2.3.2 Gaming Communities...........
- 2.4 Design of an Online Gaming Community
- 3. Approach.....
- 3.1 Operationalization and Measurement Instruments
- 3.2 Online Survey
- 3.2.1 Survey Items and Inventory.....
- 3.2.2 Conceptual Design of the Online Questionnaire
- 3.2.3 Technical Implementation
- 4. Analysis
- 4.1 Online Questionnaire.…….........
- 4.2 Statistical Analysis
- 4.3 Results of the Lead User Influence.......
- 5. Discussion...
- 5.1 Scientific Discussion about the Approach .....
- 5.2 Empirical Results and Implementation.
- 5.3 Further Scientific Opportunities
- 6. Conclusion and Future Work.....
- 6.1 Conclusion
- 6.2 Outlook.
Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)
This diploma thesis examines the influence of lead users in online communities, specifically focusing on the example of a gaming community. The work aims to understand the needs of gamers and identify the significant influence of lead users on the gaming market.
- The impact of the internet on the economy and the emergence of online communities
- The concept of lead users and their influence on market evolution
- The needs and behavior of gamers within online communities
- The potential for online gaming communities to benefit from lead user influence
- The development and implementation of an online gaming community
Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)
- Chapter 1 provides a general introduction to the topic of lead users and their influence on online communities.
- Chapter 2 delves into the background of the research, exploring the internet economy, online communities, network effects, critical mass, and the gaming market. It discusses the historical evolution of gaming and the significance of gaming communities.
- Chapter 3 outlines the approach used in the research, including the operationalization and measurement instruments, the online survey, and its design and technical implementation.
- Chapter 4 presents the analysis of the data collected through the online questionnaire, including statistical analysis and the results of the lead user influence.
Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)
The primary focus of this work lies on the influence of lead users in online gaming communities. Key themes and concepts include internet economy, online communities, network effects, critical mass, lead users, gaming market, gaming communities, online surveys, and statistical analysis. The research provides valuable insights into the needs of gamers, the importance of lead user influence, and the potential for developing successful online gaming communities.
- Quote paper
- Dr. Tobias Fritsch (Author), 2007, The Lead User Influence in Online Communities – A Gaming Community Example, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/142219
