The Lead User Influence in Online Communities – A Gaming Community Example

Tesis , 2007 , 78 Páginas , Calificación: 1,3

Economía de las empresas - Negocios - General

Due to the fast growing importance of the Internet one can observe a significant influence on all parts of the economy. The new Internet economy completely restructures given economic rules, not only because of the new opportunities, also because of the shifting power positions between customer and producer.

One part of this new economy is the existence of online communities, these groups of users show a specific focus (mainly a common topic or interest) and with the increasing possibilities of communications, new social networks are created online. The online communities already have a large influence on the economic, because they offer various opportunities and many potential customers.

This thesis focuses on a special aspect of online communities, the influence of lead users at the example of an online gaming community. Lead users often have needs that will be significant for the future market evolution, because the majority will also have them in the near future. At the example of the gaming market, lead users are often professional players with a serious game interest and a high motivation to further improve the games. Also the current status of other communities with a similar focus is evaluated.

The approach in this thesis features a large scaled online questionnaire, which aims to identify the current needs of the players and pinpoints the significant influence of the lead users. Mainly with regard to the position of the lead users in the gaming market (they act as guides for casual players) this influence and the consequences for a potential online gaming community are evaluated. Furthermore each hypothesis is analyzed individually and discussed afterwards. The approach and the statistical evaluation are described in depth and discussed from a managerial perspective afterwards, in order to draw conclusions for the design of a potential online community with a gaming focus.

Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)

• 1. Introduction.
• 2. Background........
  • 2.1 Motivation....
  • 2.2 Internet Economy.
    • 2.2.1 Online Communities......
    • 2.2.2 Network Effects
    • 2.2.3 Critical Mass
    • 2.2.4 Lead User...
  • 2.3 Gaming Market.
    • 2.3.1 Historical Evolution
    • 2.3.2 Gaming Communities...........
  • 2.4 Design of an Online Gaming Community
• 3. Approach.....
  • 3.1 Operationalization and Measurement Instruments
  • 3.2 Online Survey
    • 3.2.1 Survey Items and Inventory.....
    • 3.2.2 Conceptual Design of the Online Questionnaire
    • 3.2.3 Technical Implementation
• 4. Analysis
  • 4.1 Online Questionnaire.…….........
  • 4.2 Statistical Analysis
  • 4.3 Results of the Lead User Influence.......
• 5. Discussion...
  • 5.1 Scientific Discussion about the Approach .....
  • 5.2 Empirical Results and Implementation.
  • 5.3 Further Scientific Opportunities
• 6. Conclusion and Future Work.....
  • 6.1 Conclusion
  • 6.2 Outlook.

Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)

This diploma thesis explores the influence of lead users in online gaming communities. It analyzes the specific needs of lead users and their impact on the future development of the gaming market. The research aims to provide insights into the design and development of online gaming communities, taking into account the crucial role of lead users.

• The impact of online communities on the Internet economy and the evolving relationship between customers and producers.
• The role of lead users in shaping the future of online gaming communities and their influence on casual players.
• The specific needs and motivations of lead users in the gaming market, including their desire for game improvement and their role as guides for casual players.
• The design and implementation of an online gaming community that caters to the needs of both lead users and casual players.
• The potential for further research and development in the area of online gaming communities and lead user influence.

Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)

• Chapter 1: Introduction - Provides an overview of the thesis, outlining the research problem, objectives, and methodology.
• Chapter 2: Background - Discusses the broader context of the research, including the rise of the Internet economy, the significance of online communities, and the historical evolution of the gaming market.
• Chapter 3: Approach - Details the operationalization and measurement instruments used in the research, including the design and implementation of an online questionnaire.
• Chapter 4: Analysis - Presents the results of the online questionnaire and the statistical analysis of the data, focusing on the influence of lead users in the gaming market.
• Chapter 5: Discussion - Discusses the findings of the research, providing insights into the role of lead users in online gaming communities and their impact on the gaming market.

Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)

The core focus of this thesis lies in the influence of lead users within online gaming communities. The research explores the impact of these users on the development of online gaming communities and their role as guides for other players. Key terms include online communities, lead users, gaming market, network effects, critical mass, and user influence. The research utilizes an online questionnaire to collect data and analyze the specific needs and motivations of lead users in the gaming market.

• Universidad: Free University of Berlin
• Calificación: 1,3
• Autor: Dr. Tobias Fritsch (Autor)
• Año de publicación: 2007
• Páginas: 78
• No. de catálogo: V142219
• ISBN (Ebook): 9783640508211
• ISBN (Libro): 9783640508266
• Idioma: Inglés
• Etiqueta: Lead User, Online Communities, Computer Gaming, Video Gaming, Internet, Virtual Worlds, Gaming, Survey, Online Questionnaire, Hardcore Player