TY - JOUR

T1 - The challenges of gamifying CSR communication

AU - Maltseva, Kateryna

AU - Fieseler, Christian

AU - Trittin-Ulbrich, Hannah

PY - 2019/2/4

Y1 - 2019/2/4

N2 - Purpose: A growing number of research report positive effects of gamification, that is the introduction of game elements to non-game contexts, on stakeholder intentions and behaviors. Hence, gamification is proposed as an effective tool for organizations to educate their stakeholders about corporate social responsibility (CSR) and sustainability-related topics. The paper aims to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach: In this paper, the authors ask whether gamification can communicate matters of social and environmental concern. Based on three consecutive experimental studies, the authors show that there are boundary conditions to the effectiveness of gamified communication on stakeholder attitude, intention and behavior. Findings: The authors find positive, negative and insignificant effects of gamification on pro-environmental attitude, intention and behavior. Based on these ambiguous results, the authors conclude with a call for more rigorous forms of designing gamified experiences to foster stakeholder learning and highlight and develop several such future research and engagement opportunities. Originality/value: The study is the first to apply gamification to the context of corporate and in particular CSR communication. It is furthermore one of the first studies that actually research the effects of gamification empirically, and in controlled experimental conditions.

AB - Purpose: A growing number of research report positive effects of gamification, that is the introduction of game elements to non-game contexts, on stakeholder intentions and behaviors. Hence, gamification is proposed as an effective tool for organizations to educate their stakeholders about corporate social responsibility (CSR) and sustainability-related topics. The paper aims to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach: In this paper, the authors ask whether gamification can communicate matters of social and environmental concern. Based on three consecutive experimental studies, the authors show that there are boundary conditions to the effectiveness of gamified communication on stakeholder attitude, intention and behavior. Findings: The authors find positive, negative and insignificant effects of gamification on pro-environmental attitude, intention and behavior. Based on these ambiguous results, the authors conclude with a call for more rigorous forms of designing gamified experiences to foster stakeholder learning and highlight and develop several such future research and engagement opportunities. Originality/value: The study is the first to apply gamification to the context of corporate and in particular CSR communication. It is furthermore one of the first studies that actually research the effects of gamification empirically, and in controlled experimental conditions.

KW - Management studies

KW - CSR Communication

KW - Internet

KW - CSR communication

KW - Gamification

KW - Serious Games

KW - CSR communication

KW - Gamification

KW - Internet

KW - Serious games

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85058114999&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1108/CCIJ-09-2018-0092

DO - 10.1108/CCIJ-09-2018-0092

M3 - Journal articles

VL - 24

SP - 44

EP - 62

JO - Corporate Communications: An International Journal

JF - Corporate Communications: An International Journal

SN - 1356-3289

IS - 1

ER -