The Engagement Process During Value Co-Creation: Gamification in New Product-Development Platforms

Academics and practitioners acknowledge the relevance of integrating customers in the development of new products and recommend the use of new technologies to this end. Although they play an important role, the development of online platforms is not sufficient for effective engagement of customers, and yet it is considered a key predictor of successful co-creation initiatives. Despite the large body of research regarding value co-creation, little is known about how to design interactive platforms to engage consumers. To address this gap, this research investigates the impact of two gamification mechanics: cooperation and competition. Based on an in-depth case study including longitudinal data and rich qualitative material, we highlight the existence of four users’ profiles and then assess their emotional, cognitive, and behavioral engagement with the gamified co-creation platform over time. We also emphasize the issues that may be induced through gamification.