The Application of Gamification to the Enterprise Systems

Gamification is the application of game-like techniques to non-game environments in order to increase motivation, engagement and learning (Kapp, 2012). At its simplest form, gamification is a systematic instructional development process (Farber, 2015), which incorporates elements such as points, leaderboards and/or badges and who’s primary purpose is to change behavior and develop skills (Burke, 2014). Enterprise systems comprise of complex organizational-wide software applications, which support day-today processes, such as information gathering, data analytics, and reporting. In a 2014 Gallup poll, only 31.5% of employees were engaged in their jobs while 51% were “not engaged” and 17.5% were “actively disengaged.” In other words, 68.5% of employees were not enthusiastic about nor committed to their work or place of employment. What steps could we take to change such an astonishing statistics? What role could gamification and motivation play in an enterprise environment? What is the perception of employees of a gamified enterprise system? The presenters in this session propose a theoretical analysis of gamification and its application in the enterprise system. From the perspective of gamification, the presenters will engage the audience in a discussion of the use of game elements such as dynamics, mechanics and components. The presenters will propose that the application of game elements can increase rates of engagement and motivation in the enterprise. Gamification elements can be applied to many of the day-to-day enterprise activities such as training, project management, customer support, data-entry and others (Prakash & Rao, 2015). The presenters will propose various applications of gamification such as points, badges, and leaderboards. Herzberg (1966) two-factor theory demonstrates that job satisfaction can increase through the use of intrinsic and extrinsic motivation. Through the use of job recognition, responsibility, advancement, and growth, employees in the enterprise can feel more satisfied with their work (Prakash & Rao, 2015). The presenters will discuss the effects of motivation, including the abstract distinction between the “wanting to do something (intrinsic), and the “needing to do something” (extrinsic) (Werbach & Hunter, 2012). In contrast to the behaviorist theories of Herzberg is the cognitivist approach of Deci and Ryan (2004) SelfDetermination Theory (SDT), which suggest the need for growth and well-being by addressing three distinct categories of the human psychic: competence, relatedness, and autonomy. In addition, to the theory behind gamification and motivation, the presenters will also discuss existing scholarly research and real-world applications.