Tracy Harwood

An investigation into gamification as a customer engagement experience environment

Purpose – This study aims to provide empirically generated insights into a gamification approach to online customer engagement and behavior (CE and CEB). There is a substantive discrepancy between popular coverage and empirically based research as to the effectiveness of virtual brand gamification in engaging customers. Design/methodology/approach – Using Samsung Nation as a unit of analysis, a mixed-methods research design using netnography and participant observation is adopted to address the research aim. Findings – Taken holistically, the findings identify key processes and outcomes of CE and CEB within virtual gamified platforms. Additionally, insights are provided into implementation flaws deriving from gamification that may potentially impact the CE experience. Originality/value – The contribution of this paper is twofold. First and from a theoretical perspective, it offers both a conceptual foundation and empirical-based evaluation of CE and CEB through a gamified brand platform. Second and from a...

‘It's Mine!’ – Participation and ownership within virtual co-creation environments

Abstract Interpretations of value and the processes of value creation are rapidly evolving from product- and firm-centric perspectives to personalised consumer experiences. However, whilst much of the literature in this area advocates the role of the firm as that of ‘enabler’ and ‘community leader’, relatively little empirical-based research exists on ‘post-product’ manipulations by consumers and the resultant ‘blurring’ of the boundaries of ownership between consumer and firm. Drawing on the consumption community and co-creation literature, this paper reports on a study that examines the nature and characteristics of a virtual co-creation context. Findings suggest consumers are able to take ownership, define and create their own post-product consumption experience, and, through a collaborative – often implicit – process between firm and consumer, continually modify and ‘co-evolve’ the product in an ongoing and iterative process. This in turn has implications for post-product ownership within such contexts.

Relationship marketing: why bother?

Purpose – This paper provides a general review of relationship marketing, its application to a business‐to‐business context and examines reasons for its failure.Design/methodology/approach – Reporting on the literature and two separate research investigations undertaken by the authors, research suggests there are few companies that succeed in developing relationship‐marketing programs that produce significant benefits to both parties. Discussion of theoretical aspects on relationship marketing is followed by examination of evidence from research.Findings – A series of potential failure points are identified and commented on in relation to the authors own research findings. This includes an analysis of how successful face‐to‐face interactions can be used to build relationships.Originality/value – This article synthesizes and critically evaluates the role of relationship marketing in business and poses the key question on partnership development that many business managers are struggling with today: why bot...

Business negotiations in the context of strategic relationship development

Despite a multitude of papers on selling and even negotiation, there has been very limited investigation of what leads to successful negotiation. This paper begins to tackle that shortfall and outlines the findings of exploratory research into negotiation styles of customer‐supplier dyads engaged in strategic relationship development. First, it reviews two distinct styles of negotiation approach: the competitive (adversarial or distributive) approach and the collaborative (problem‐solving or integrative) approach. Then it discusses the findings that support the argument that there are commonalities in the adoption of negotiating stances across industries and at different stages of relationship development. In conclusion the paper suggests that negotiation can be seen as a process of information exchange and highlights the practical implications of this research in terms of business development.

Towards a manifesto for Machinima.

The author examines the past, present and future of machinima, hereby defined as an art form in transition. Although both socially and culturally embedded in gaming cultures, machinima could expand well beyond gaming, as it represents a successful example of convergence of filmmaking, animation and games development. Although the medium has a strong artistic potential, the future trajectory of machinima will remain indelibly tied to games development, reflecting gaming and internet cultures. The author predicts that machinima will further evolve in line with developing curatorial expertise in its presentation to wider audiences and positioning within the digital arts movement.

Developing Buyer-Seller Relationships Through Face-to-Face Negotiations

SUMMARY This paper reviews the findings of research into information exchange in real-life negotiations in business-to-business (B2B) relationships. Despite the recognition by both practitioners and academics of face-to-face negotiation as a core competence essential to the longevity of business relationships, there has been little research into verbal negotiator behaviour in this context. Based on observation of 12 substantive negotiations, wherein the parties were engaged in strategic relationship development, the findings indicate distinct patterns of verbal behaviour at different stages of relational development. This has important implications for the development of theory as well as the behavioural stances adopted by individuals engaged in relational development through the process of face-to-face negotiation. It is contended that enhanced understanding of this important aspect of B2B relationships leads to the development of more closely aligned strategic plans which may improve return on relational investment. Findings may, therefore, be used as an aid to decision-making in developing business relationships which could, ultimately, lead to more effectively targeted planning for interactions and, potentially, greater outcome success.

Emergence of Gamified Commerce: Turning Virtual to Real

This paper, published in large part in Ciaramitaros 2011 Virtual Worlds and E-Commerce, reflects how gaming and virtual worlds have impacted on ecommerce in recent years. A dynamic commercial environment with massive growth in user numbers and an overspill into real worlds through gamification, virtual worlds have contributed new language, new ways of engaging customers in branded virtual experiences and new business models. Co-creation and co-production remain central themes within this environment. Convergence between online and offline proceeds apace, facilitated by ever more accessible technological interfaces such as mobile and tablets but also now micro-projection technologies that enable new ways of sharing and engaging. The paper reviews the convergence context and concludes with a discussion of how relationships between customers and businesses have changed, economies have emerged and boundaries between virtual and real have become blurred to form gamified commercial experiences.

Mobile Eye-Tracking in Retail Research

The chapter reports on an empirical investigation into consumers’ visual attention within a UK retail (marketing) environment using mobile eye-tracking technology. Retail environments are complex, visually stimulating spaces that support both hedonic and utilitarian consumer experiences. There is little prior research into the use of mobile eye-gaze technologies in retail environments to understand consumer response at a holistic level, and this chapter seeks to address this gap in the literature. The study reported on uses a mixed methods qualitative design, combining content analysis to analyse fixations of eye-tracking data with pre- and post-tracking questions and analysis of critical incidents. Findings indicate both intrinsic and extrinsic motivations play a role in the consumer behaviour observed—focus of discussion is on the extrinsic elements that consumers use in the store, including lighting, sight lines, signage and product presentation that facilitate socialising behaviour and flow.

The moderating influence of client sophistication on relationships within business‐to‐business credence service markets

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to report on a study which aims to identify the characteristics and determinants of client sophistication within the UK corporate legal services market and to investigate its effect in determining the nature and essence of client‐solicitor relationships.Design/methodology/approach – The paper uses in‐depth interviews of a range of individuals involved in the selection and evaluation of legal services used by their organisations and practice lawyers working for a variety of regional and national law firms involved in the delivery of legal advice related to corporate and commercial issues.Findings – Findings suggest the level of client sophistication has a moderating influence in a number of key areas. These are identified as: service evaluation criteria; interdependency and power; the atmosphere in which solicitor‐client interactions take place and relationships develop; the nature of joint personal relational goals and the role of trust and extent of commitment.Origi...

Machinima as a learning tool

This article proposes that machinima is a practice-based approach to learning digital creative practice. It features excerpts from key informant interviews with six prominent machinima artists: it is the first time they have been brought together to consider the role of machinima as a learning tool from their different perspectives. The article begins with a review of machinima as an example of digital creative practice, akin to mashup and remix genres. The nature of machinima is presented through interviews, providing an overview of its authenticity, roles of networks and communities of practice, transdisciplinary creative practice, transliteracy, transferability and accessibility as a learning tool in developing competency in digital creativity. It is suggested that machinima is ‘digital clay’ that has the potential to add value to practice-based learning in a connected world. The article concludes with a summary of the unique contributions that machinima gives the creative learning process.