The Corporate (Magic) Circle: Fun Work or Controlled Play?

Area of Science:

• Business Management
• Organizational Psychology
• Game Studies

Background:

• Traditionally viewed as leisure, entertainment games are increasingly integrated into professional settings.
• Serious games and gamification represent a growing trend in corporate environments.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the diverse purposes of games utilized within the work context.
• To understand how serious games and gamification are applied in business.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative research approach.
• Conducted six semi-structured interviews with company leaders.
• Analyzed discourses on serious games and gamification projects for work.

Main Results:

• Games serve multiple functions in the workplace, including employee control for organizational results.
• Enhancing worker happiness and wellbeing is a key purpose identified.
• Emergent purposes vary based on market entry conditions and project types.

Conclusions:

• Games in the workplace have evolved beyond leisure, serving strategic organizational goals.
• The application of games in business contexts is multifaceted, impacting both organizational outcomes and employee experience.