7,484 research outputs found

    From the Hands of an Early Adopter's Avatar to Virtual Junkyards: Analysis of Virtual Goods' Lifetime Survival

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    One of the major questions in the study of economics, logistics, and business forecasting is the measurement and prediction of value creation, distribution, and lifetime in the form of goods. In "real" economies, a perfect model for the circulation of goods is impossible. However, virtual realities and economies pose a new frontier for the broad study of economics, since every good and transaction can be accurately tracked. Therefore, models that predict goods' circulation can be tested and confirmed before their introduction to "real life" and other scenarios. The present study is focused on the characteristics of early-stage adopters for virtual goods, and how they predict the lifespan of the goods. We employ machine learning and decision trees as the basis of our prediction models. Results provide evidence that the prediction of the lifespan of virtual objects is possible based just on data from early holders of those objects. Overall, communication and social activity are the main drivers for the effective propagation of virtual goods, and they are the most expected characteristics of early adopters.Comment: 28 page

    The role of product portfolio management in market expansion:a case of the mobile gaming industry

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    Abstract. The rapid growth of mobile game consumer spending has led to Free-to-Play mobile game developers’ constant competition for players by offering new games. The product portfolio management (PPM) approach helps tackle questions about the market, product and technologies based on a company’s strategic targets. However, to discover game genre diversity by aligning product portfolio with business strategy and existing capabilities in new product development process is challenging. A single-case study was conducted to examine the important connection between PPM and business strategy as well as existing capabilities to propose a practical approach for seeking game genre portfolio expansion opportunities. The main results include proposing an analysis framework using PPM and mobile app intelligence software to identify game genres in market expansion that are strategic fit, bring the best economic value and are resonated with company’s existing capabilities and competence. PPM focused areas and key performance indicators are proposed. This study is the first attempt to apply PPM approach with targets and KPIs in mobile game development. It contributes to the previous studies by extending the application of PPM approach in the initial stage of product development process in discoveries and innovation stage. Also, the results can be applied to other mobile game companies with similar new product development process

    Marketing strategy for the launch of a mobile application

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    This master thesis is a company project done in cooperation with Captain, a technological company whose purpose is to make doing group sports a better experience in the context of Software as a Service. The project consists in the public launch of Captain’s first service: its mobile App. In order to accomplish this, the macroeconomic environment was analysed along with the sector, competition and the consumer with the purpose of identifying opportunities and threats. Additionally, an internal analysis allowed to identify the strengths and weaknesses of the company and its team. Furthermore, a Literary review was performed with the purpose of better understanding the steps to take. Two areas popped-up for intervention: the strategic definition of the brand Captain ad a whole and the plan for the launch of the App in the market. In what concerns the brand, the general strategy was defined along with the values expected to be associated with the brand, the personality to be perceived in stakeholder interactions as well as key behaviours that the brand should adopt. The App launch consists, on a first approach, in the assessment of the targetsegments, construction of personas and the positioning of the service in the market. Past that, a proposal for the Marketing Mix is elaborated – which, despite being a service, does not match the Service Marketing Mix – focused in the product and the communication.Esta tese de mestrado é um projeto-empresa em colaboração com a Captain, uma empresa tecnológica cujo propósito é tornar a realização de desporto em grupo mais fácil numa lógica de Software as a Service. O projeto consiste no lançamento ao público do primeiro serviço da Captain: a sua App para smartphones. Com vista a melhor realizar este processo, foi analisada a envolvente macroeconómica externa, o setor, a concorrência e o consumidor de forma a identificar todas as oportunidades e ameaças existentes. Foi também realizada uma análise interna cuidada que permitiu identificar as principais forças e fraquezas da empresa e da sua equipa em conjunto com uma revisão de literatura com o propósito de melhor compreender os passos a tomar. Foram identificadas duas áreas de ação: a definição da estratégia para a marca Captain como um todo e o plano de lançamento da App no mercado. No que à estratégia de marca diz respeito foi definida a estratégia geral, os valores que se desejam associados à marca, a personalidade que se deseja percecionada nas interações dos stakeholders com a marca assim como os comportamentos-chave que a marca deve adotar. O lançamento da App consiste, num primeiro passo, numa avaliação dos segmentos-alvo, construção de personas e no posicionamento do serviço no mercado. De seguida é elaborada a proposta operacional do Marketing Mix – que apesar de ser um Serviço não se enquadra no marketing mix de serviços – focado na área do produto e da comunicação

    Are secondary markets beneficial for a virtual world operator?

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    Selling virtual goods for real money has become the dominant business model for virtual worlds in the past decade. As the amount of money involved in virtual goods sales increases, market performance questions gain relevance. In this thesis, we examine the effects of secondary markets on the profitability of a virtual world service provider operating under a virtual goods sales model. More specifically, we ask whether the service provider should tolerate secondary markets or seek to kill them off. The structure of this thesis is as follows: we first review how virtual worlds operate as businesses and provide an analysis of the market conditions faced by a virtual world operator to provide sufficient context for the reader. We then examine the inner workings of virtual economies and review structures commonly encountered within them. Next, we conduct a literature review on real world secondary market models and analyses. Finally, we evaluate the implications of real world secondary market results on secondary markets for virtual goods. In the final section, we present conclusions and possible avenues for further study. We find that recent durable goods research suggests that a profit-maximizing monopolist will not shut down secondary markets, but will choose to reduce durability of goods instead and that these results can apply to virtual worlds as well. However, we also show that the question of allowing or not allowing secondary markets cannot be answered based on profitability alone and that service providers have to also account for externalities brought on by secondary markets

    London Creative and Digital Fusion

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    date-added: 2015-03-24 04:16:59 +0000 date-modified: 2015-03-24 04:16:59 +0000date-added: 2015-03-24 04:16:59 +0000 date-modified: 2015-03-24 04:16:59 +0000The London Creative and Digital Fusion programme of interactive, tailored and in-depth support was designed to support the UK capital’s creative and digital companies to collaborate, innovate and grow. London is a globally recognised hub for technology, design and creative genius. While many cities around the world can claim to be hubs for technology entrepreneurship, London’s distinctive potential lies in the successful fusion of world-leading technology with world-leading design and creativity. As innovation thrives at the edge, where better to innovate than across the boundaries of these two clusters and cultures? This booklet tells the story of Fusion’s innovation journey, its partners and its unique business support. Most importantly of all it tells stories of companies that, having worked with London Fusion, have innovated and grown. We hope that it will inspire others to follow and build on our beginnings.European Regional Development Fund 2007-13
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