The Motivational Fabric of Gamified Idea Competitions: The Evaluation of Game Mechanics from a Longitudinal Perspective

Abstract

Idea competitions are a highly important tool for integrating insiders and outsiders in the idea generation and evaluation activities of organizations. Previous research on motives for participation has demonstrated that organizers need to design idea competitions that create a positive experience for participants. To address this challenge, organizations have started to include games mechanics (e.g., points, levels, badges) into idea competitions, a measure that has been termed gamification. However, there is a lack of scientific studies focusing on the longitudinal evaluation and perception of game mechanics. This study thus evaluates game mechanics in a gamified idea competition through two independent panel studies. The quantitative results are complemented with data from qualitative surveys. The findings of this study indicate that there are differences in game mechanics with respect to their motivational evaluation, and that game mechanics with reference to social aspects in particular are more highly appreciated.