CONTRIBUTION AND PARTICIPATION IN INNOVATION COMMUNITIES: A CLASSIFICATION OF INCENTIVES AND MOTIVES

Online communities (OCs) have become an important source for identifying the needs and problems of users, supporting companies in innovation. This development was fostered by IT/Internet technologies and has also been strengthened through recent social changes in user behavior within "Web 2.0." In contrast to its growing relevance, user innovation activities within OCs are still underexplored. Companies that wish to successfully utilize and integrate innovative OC members into their NPD process need a better understanding of the drivers and changes of user motivation in such communities. In this paper we analyze, categorize and integrate different motivational factors that play a major role here and develop several propositions concerning motivation within innovation communities.Flow, motivation, online communities, user innovation, Web 2.0

ONLINE COMMUNITIES IN MATURE MARKETS: WHY JOIN, WHY INNOVATE, WHY SHARE?

Online communities (OCs), especially those related to particular products or brands, have become a potent means of identifying user needs and solution ideas, thereby supporting companies to innovate. Despite their growing relevance, user innovation activities within consumer OCs still are underexplored. Members' motivations to innovate and contribute to OCs, in particular, belong to a young line of research requiring further investigation. This study contributes to this line of research by providing an in-depth netnographic analysis of innovative, privately operated OCs dedicated to tangible consumer products. Most fundamentally, we differentiate: (1) motives to join OCs, (2) motives to innovate, and (3) motives to publish innovations in OCs. It is the first study that categorizes the motives of innovative OC members depending on membership lifecycle and situational factors. Our results support companies in understanding members' motives in privately operated OCs relating to the company's brand or products. Thus, it provides a foundation for the development of specific incentives and tools that stimulate user activity.User innovation, online communities, motivation, netnography

Virtual reality technology and game enjoyment: The contributions of natural mapping and need satisfaction

Based on self-determination theory, the current laboratory experiment investigates how the use of virtual reality (VR) technology shapes the gaming experience. We hypothesize that playing the VR version offers a more naturally mapped playing experience than playing the non-VR version of the same game. Further, we assume that natural mapping is positively related to autonomy and competence need satisfaction, which in turn will predict higher levels of game enjoyment. One hundred thirty-three participants either played the non-VR or the VR version of the game The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim. We found that playing the VR version induced higher levels of game enjoyment than playing the non-VR version. Path analysis affirmed our assumption that VR technology can increase game enjoyment via natural mapping and the resulting satisfaction of competence and autonomy needs. Implications of these findings for games research and game design are discussed

The Slippery Path to Total Presence: How Omnidirectional Virtual Reality Treadmills Influence the Gaming Experience

Researchers, game designers, and consumers place great hopes into the potential benefits of virtual reality (VR) technology on the user experience in digital games. Indeed, initial empirical research has shown that VR technology can improve the gaming experience in a number of ways compared to traditional desktop gaming, for instance by amplifying immersion and flow. However, on the downside, a mismatch between physical locomotion and the movements of the avatar in the virtual world can also lead to unpleasant feelings when using VR technology - often referred to as cybersickness. One solution to this problem may be the implementation of novel passive repositioning systems (also called omnidirectional treadmills) that are designed to allow a continuous, more natural form of locomotion in VR. In the current study, we investigate how VR technology and the use of an omnidirectional treadmill influence the gaming experience. Traditional desktop gaming, VR gaming, and omnidirectional treadmill gaming are compared in a one-factorial experimental design (N = 203). As expected, we found that VR gaming on the one hand leads to higher levels of flow, presence, and enjoyment, but at the same time also is accompanied by higher levels of cybersickness than traditional desktop gaming. The use of the omnidirectional treadmill did not significantly improve the gaming experience and also did not reduce cybersickness. However, this more physically demanding form of locomotion may make omnidirectional treadmills interesting for exergame designers

Virtual reality technology and game enjoyment: The contributions of natural mapping and need satisfaction

Based on self-determination theory, the current laboratory experiment investigates how the use of virtual reality (VR) technology shapes the gaming experience. We hypothesize that playing the VR version offers a more naturally mapped playing experience than playing the non-VR version of the same game. Further, we assume that natural mapping is positively related to autonomy and competence need satisfaction, which in turn will predict higher levels of game enjoyment. One hundred thirty-three participants either played the non-VR or the VR version of the game The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim. We found that playing the VR version induced higher levels of game enjoyment than playing the non-VR version. Path analysis affirmed our assumption that VR technology can increase game enjoyment via natural mapping and the resulting satisfaction of competence and autonomy needs. Implications of these findings for games research and game design are discussed

The Slippery Path to Total Presence: How Omnidirectional Virtual Reality Treadmills Influence the Gaming Experience

Researchers, game designers, and consumers place great hopes into the potential benefits of virtual reality (VR) technology on the user experience in digital games. Indeed, initial empirical research has shown that VR technology can improve the gaming experience in a number of ways compared to traditional desktop gaming, for instance by amplifying immersion and flow. However, on the downside, a mismatch between physical locomotion and the movements of the avatar in the virtual world can also lead to unpleasant feelings when using VR technology—often referred to as cybersickness. One solution to this problem may be the implementation of novel passive repositioning systems (also called omnidirectional treadmills) that are designed to allow a continuous, more natural form of locomotion in VR. In the current study, we investigate how VR technology and the use of an omnidirectional treadmill influence the gaming experience. Traditional desktop gaming, VR gaming, and omnidirectional treadmill gaming are compared in a one-factorial experimental design (N = 203). As expected, we found that VR gaming on the one hand leads to higher levels of flow, presence, and enjoyment, but at the same time also is accompanied by higher levels of cybersickness than traditional desktop gaming. The use of the omnidirectional treadmill did not significantly improve the gaming experience and also did not reduce cybersickness. However, this more physically demanding form of locomotion may make omnidirectional treadmills interesting for exergame designers