Gamification across borders: The impact of culture

Abstract

Engagement and motivation in the workplace have always been major elements at stake, and among other tools, gamification, widely defined as the use of game design elements in non-game contexts, intends to add another layer to the conventional way of working by calling for the inherent attraction of human-beings for play. However, even if gamification studies tend to agree on a concept of ​meaningful gamification that should be designed with the user in focus to fit one’s characteristics, needs and preferences, research has not yet raised the potential importance of culture as a central area of focus when designing gamification. It is the intent of this thesis to study gamification consulting companies working with businesses located in different national markets to assess the extent to which culture impacts their working processes in an International Business perspective. After conducting several interviews with professionals, this study managed to generate findings that prove the importance of culture when creating gamified solutions in an international setting. Findings that even showed distinctions between respondents on how organizational and national culture impact their process differently.