At a time, when enterprises and companies struggle with low levels of engagement and motivation but games are as popular as never before, it is not surprising that the answer and cure-it-all to those problems seems to be Gamification.
Gamification is the use of game elements in non-game contexts and promises to transfer the astonishing ability of games to engage people to the workplace.
The reason for the recent emergence of Gamification is the transformation of the nature of work and the workforce itself. The design of enterprise software has shifted to a new era that largely focuses on what is pleasurable. This shift in focus is due to millenials, also referred to as digital natives who have just started to enter the workforce and have different expectations, attitudes and skills compared to previous generations. Millenials have grown up with social media and mobile technology and prefer to use the same technology at home and at work. In particular mobile technology for mobile devices supports the development towards a playful and intuitive interaction. As digital natives are used to this kind of technology they engage and interact differently with each other in the workplace. In order to engage and motivate them, companies have to change their traditional ways of interaction. Gamification is one of the first steps towards this change and seems to be the answer to what is pleasurable to people.
As Gamification is a fairly new topic, there is few research on its effects so far. Gamification is said to motivate employees and engage with customers at the same time and even though there is little proof for this assumption, learning theory works in favor of it. The number of papers published on Gamification has grown significantly during the last years, but there is no clear understanding about which overall results they yield and under which circumstances those are valid. As more and more companies implement Gamification mechanics due to its promising concept, its success has to be measured reliably.
Table of Contents
1 Introduction
1.1 Objectives of the Thesis
1.2 Structure of the Thesis
1.3 Theoretical Foundations
1.3.1 Gamification and Related Concepts
1.3.2 Flow
1.3.3 Motivation Theories
2 Methodology
3 Effects of Gamification Applications
3.1 Display Progression
3.2 Providing Feedback
3.3 Engaging Behavior
3.4 Overview and Discussion of Results
3.5 Preliminary Model for Gamification Effects
4 Conclusion
4.1 Limitations and Future Work
Research Objectives and Core Themes
The primary objective of this thesis is to assess whether Gamification applications possess the actual potential to sustainably motivate and engage employees in a professional context, rather than being merely an inflated expectation.
- Theoretical exploration of Gamification concepts, flow theory, and human motivation.
- Comprehensive review of existing literature to identify relevant Gamification mechanics.
- Analysis of the specific effects of Gamification elements like points, badges, leaderboards, and progress bars.
- Development of a preliminary model illustrating the functional effects of Gamification on user behavior and performance.
Excerpt from the Book
3.1 Display Progression
The Gamification mechanics of the progression category, namely achievements, points and bonuses, leveling up and progression, aim at displaying the progress and advancement of users in the game.
Achievements are described as a “virtual or physical representation” or recognition of the efforts that a user has put forward to a certain desirable goal or objective (Byl, 2012; Hiltbrand & Burke, 2011). A series of tasks has to be completed, before the achievement is unlocked.
An empirical study by Grant & Betts (2013) focuses on the effects of a special form of achievements – badges – on Stack Overflow, a question and answer website. The authors observe that users spend significantly more time on the website in the months before a badge is awarded. Afterwards their activity level declines rapidly. These results indicate that the badges motivate users to actively participate in the site, though short term. The assumption is voiced that eventually users might alter their behavior in such a way that they solely work towards the completion of the next badge (Grant & Betts, 2013). Z. Li et al. (2012) find contrasting results regarding the same website. Their research shows that users contribute even more in the community after having achieved a badge. Astonishingly even negative badges have a positive effect on participation of users indicating a high motivational impact. The authors explain the findings with the assumption that badges initially foster extrinsic motivation, while eventually users contribute more due to intrinsic factors.
Summary of Chapters
1 Introduction: Provides the context of Gamification in modern enterprises, defines the research objectives, and outlines the theoretical foundations regarding motivation and flow.
2 Methodology: Describes the systematic literature review approach used to gather and analyze sources concerning Gamification research.
3 Effects of Gamification Applications: Examines specific Gamification mechanics—including progression, feedback, and behavioral engagement—and discusses their observed effects on users.
4 Conclusion: Summarizes the findings, addresses the research question regarding sustainable motivation, and notes limitations while proposing future research directions.
Keywords
Gamification, Motivation, Employee Engagement, Enterprise Software, Game Mechanics, Achievements, Points, Leaderboards, Flow Theory, User Experience, Performance, Behavioral Economics, Intrinsic Motivation, Extrinsic Rewards, Workplace Interaction
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this thesis?
The work focuses on evaluating the effectiveness of Gamification applications in the workplace and whether these mechanics can sustainably increase employee motivation and engagement.
What are the primary themes discussed?
The main themes include the categorization of Gamification mechanics (in-game vs. in-person), their impact on user performance, and the psychological theories explaining why these mechanics function, such as flow and motivation theories.
What is the central research question?
The research aims to determine: Do Gamification applications have the potential to motivate and engage employees sustainably?
Which research methodology does the author apply?
The author conducts a thorough literature review, following the approach proposed by Webster & Watson, to identify, analyze, and synthesize existing research on Gamification mechanics.
What does the main body of the work cover?
It classifies various mechanics (e.g., badges, points, leaderboards, community collaboration), analyzes their individual short-term and mid-term effects, and discusses these findings in the context of enterprise environments.
Which keywords best characterize this research?
Key terms include Gamification, employee motivation, engagement, enterprise software, game mechanics, and behavioral impact.
How does the author define the difference between games and Gamification?
The author distinguishes them by purpose: games are designed for pure entertainment and exist separate from reality, while Gamification aims to solve real-world, non-game problems by using game elements.
What is the "overjustification effect" mentioned in the context of points?
It refers to the phenomenon where the introduction and subsequent removal of extrinsic rewards (like points) can undermine intrinsic motivation, causing performance to drop significantly once the reward system is gone.
Why is the "preliminary model" for Gamification effects significant?
It provides a functional framework showing how different Gamification mechanics connect to psychological states like flow and enjoyment, ultimately influencing a user's perceived usefulness and intention to use a system.
What is the conclusion regarding the long-term potential of Gamification?
The author concludes with caution, noting that Gamification is not a "cure-it-all" and requires a healthy balance between extrinsic rewards and intrinsic motivation to avoid being just a passing hype.
- Citar trabajo
- Carolin Klosterkamp (Autor), 2014, Assessing the Effects of Gamification Applications and its Benefits for the Workplace, Múnich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/432840
