Gamification in Management: Between Choice Architecture and Humanistic Design

Abstract

Gamification in management is currently informed by two contradicting framings or rhetorics: the rhetoric of choice architecture casts humans as rational actors and games as perfect information and incentive dispensers, giving managers fine-grained control over people’s behavior. It aligns with basic tenets of neoclassical economics, scientific management, operations research/management science, and current big data-driven decision making. In contrast, the rhetoric of humanistic design casts humans as growth-oriented and games as environments optimally designed to afford positive, meaningful experiences. This view, fitting humanistic management ideas and the rise of design and customer experience, casts managers as “second order” designers. While both rhetorics highlight important aspects of games and management, the former is more likely to be adopted and absorbed into business as usual, whereas the latter holds more uncertainty, but also transformative potential.

Gamification in Management and Other Non-Game Contexts—Understanding Game Elements, Motivation, Reward Systems, and User Types

“…Deterding (2019) furthermore states that gamification may induce stakeholders to become strategic actors gaming their organizations as best they can [2]. This further development of the model shows that gamification is currently undergoing continual development and is influenced both by technological possibilities and the changing desires and experiences of users.…”

“…In connection with this, Marczewski (2014) says [23]: "As time has gone by, Gamification has evolved and people are looking more at what I call Motivational Design." In his recent paper Deterding (2019) argues that through gamification, management could become more open, indeterminate and potentially transformative [2].…”

The Serious and the Mundane: Reflections on Gamified CSR Communication

“…Stakeholders need to get a true sense of involvement with the issue at stake, make an emotional connection with it, and experience meaningful forms of interaction with each other. We agree with Deterding (2019) that this also means treating stakeholders as growthoriented, meaning-making human beings, and taking the notion of play seriously.…”

Evaluating and visualizing perceptual impressions of daylighting in immersive virtual environments

“…For instance, Nick Pelling coined the term gamification as a fast and enjoyable transfer of electronic transactions through the game (Pelling 2011). Deterding (2019) defines gamification as a process to translate the engaging aspects of games into other non-gaming aspects in order to generate positive user experience and motivate desired attitudes. Similarly, Karl Kapp identifies gamification as a means for game-oriented thinking, encouraging participatory learning and problem-solving (Aşkın 2019).…”