Table of Contents
Preface …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. v
Acknowledgments ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. vii
Chapter 1 Setting the Stage: The Emergence of Playful Organizations ……………………………………………… 1
1.1 Introduction …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 1
1.2 Framing the impact of gaming on organizations ………………………………………………………………………….. 2
1.3 Learning from online gamers ………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 11
1.4 Playful organization: A research agenda ……………………………………………………………………………………… 17
1.5 Conclusion …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 21
Chapter 2 Unfolding the Concept and Its Potential: The Playful Organization Ideal-type ………….. 25
2.1 Introduction ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 25
2.2 Method of conceptualization ………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 26
2.3 Five patterns of play ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 30
2.4 A playful organizational culture ……………………………………………………………………………………………………. 33
2.5 A playful organizational structure ………………………………………………………………………………………………… 39
2.6 Opportunities of the ideal-type ……………………………………………………………………………………………………… 46
2.7 Conclusion …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 48
Chapter 3 Previous Studies Re-examined: Have Playful Organizations Already Emerged? ………. 53
3.1 Introduction ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 53
3.2 Review method …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 54
3.3 Online gaming community studies ……………………………………………………………………………………………….. 55
3.4 Professional organization studies …………………………………………………………………………………………………. 65
3.5 Conclusion …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 75
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Chapter 4 New Studies Designed: Can Playful Organizations Be Emerging? ………………………………… 81
4.1 Introduction ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 81
4.2 The qualitative research …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 82
4.3 The quantitative research ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 92
4.4 Conclusion ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 104
Chapter 5 An Online Gamer Speaks Out: Playful Organizations in EVE Online …………………………… 109
5.1 Introduction ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 109
5.2 EVE Online, once upon a time ………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 111
5.3 Major as an organization ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 119
5.4 Playful organizations, with some notes …………………………………………………………………………………….. 143
5.5 Conclusion ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 148
Chapter 6 Let’s Ask Our Panel: Dutch Online Gamers on Their Communities ……………………………. 153
6.1 Introduction ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 153
6.2 Degrees of playful organization ………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 155
6.3 Degrees of playful organization explained ……………………………………………………………………………….. 164
6.4 Conclusion ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 176
Chapter 7 Building an Un-/Comfortable Bridge: Dutch Online Gamers on Their Work
Organizations …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 181
7.1 Introduction ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 181
7.2 Degrees of playful organization ………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 183
7.3 Degrees of playful organization explained ……………………………………………………………………………….. 194
7.4 Comparison to online gaming communities …………………………………………………………………………….. 206
7.5 Conclusion ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 214
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Chapter 8 Food for Thought: The Emergence of Playful Organizations Uncovered and Critiqued
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 217
8.1 Introduction ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 217
8.2 A summary of the results ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 218
8.3 A discussion from the phenomenon-ideologizing frame ………………………………………………………. 226
8.4 Discussions through reframing …………………………………………………………………………………………………… 230
8.5 Recommendations …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 239
References ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 251
Appendix A The OCAI Statements Used in the Empirical Research ……………………………………………… 265
Appendix B Operationalization of the Predictors Used in the Panel Research ………………………….. 269
Appendix C Descriptives of the Panel Research ………………………………………………………………………………. 277
Appendix D Logistic Regression Analysis Results #1 …………………………………………………………………….. 283
Appendix E Logistic Regression Analysis Results #2 ……………………………………………………………………… 287
Appendix F Logistic Regression Analysis Results #3 ………………………………………………………………………. 291
Appendix G Significance of Cultural Equivalence: The coding procedure …………………………………… 297
Summary …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 301
Samenvatting (Summary in Dutch)
Op weg naar speelse organisaties
Hoe online gamers zich organiseren (en wat andere organisaties van hen kunnen leren) ……… 315
Curriculum Vitae ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 329
NGInfra Ph.D. Thesis Series on Infrastructures ……………………………………………………………………………. 331
Abstract
Gaming has played an important part in our daily lives for quite some time now. As a result, many researchers are interested in the various ways in which gaming has an impact beyond its own context. This dissertation explores one particular type of impact, i.e., the impact of gaming on organizations. It theorizes that gaming is a frame of mind that influences what we find important when it comes to communication and collaboration with our colleagues at work. To explore this further, this dissertation first develops the notion of ‘playful organization’. Using a framework of organizational culture and structure, the dissertation tries to find playful organizations where online gamers play and work. It re-evaluates previous empirical studies of online gaming communities and professional organizations. It also looks into the ‘corporations’ of the massively multiplayer online game EVE Online, based on an ethnographic study. Finally, it looks into the communities and work organizations of a panel of Dutch online gamers, listening to the panelists’ ideas about the extent of playful organization in both contexts and subsequent comparisons between the two. This dissertation is thus an interdisciplinary and in-depth organizational study of online gamers’ communities and work organizations, in an attempt to gain insights into gaming’s impact on organizations.
