Interactions between play and work in the virtual world: Qualitative evidence from Second Life

Publication Type

Conference Proceeding Article

Publication Date

8-2024

Abstract

As workplaces seek to improve work outcomes like creativity through play-like mechanisms, interactions between play and work become important to study. To study how work-play dynamics may work - an underexplored topic in extant research - we conduct a qualitative study of a space agency that entered a play-like virtual world. The agency engaged volunteers in a community of play, to explore the concept of participatory space exploration. We find that as the setting evolved, various forms of play emerged, including, creative forms of play initially synergistically-linked with the agency's work. The synergistic work-play actions was eventually subsumed to more mission-oriented objectives; the more creative aspects of volunteers’ creative play shifted to volunteer-led locations; and the forms of work-play that remained in the central location were heavily dictated. We explore certain related concepts’ influence on the work-play complex, including how different types of governance can shape these interactions between play and work.

Discipline

Organizational Behavior and Theory

Research Areas

Organisational Behaviour and Human Resources

Publication

Proceedings of 84th Annual Meeting of the Academy of Management (AOM 2024), Chicago, Illinois, August 9-13

Identifier

10.5465/AMPROC.2024.20010abstract

Publisher

Academy of Management

City or Country

Chicago, IL

Additional URL

https://doi.org/10.5465/AMPROC.2024.20010abstract

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