The Impact of Gamification on Macro- and Micro-level Social structures—The Case of an Industrial Organization.

This paper explains how gamification influences the macro- and micro-level social structures in an industrial organization. Based on qualitative content analysis applied in an interpretative case study, we demonstrate how the implementation of a gamification application successively leads to a number of changes in the micro- and macro-level social structures of the investigated organization. The workers in the gamified work process changed their focus of attention, developed new goals and identities, and altered their social interaction; these changes in turn led to modifications in the organizational practices and identities in the sense of work routines and acceptance of the organizational structure during the sample period. With our explanations on how gamification can transform an organization at least temporarily, we contribute to the research stream that proposes a more holistic view of gamification. Our findings also advocate for a more comprehensive view of which people are part of the gamified environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]