Literature review

The following literature overview is divided into three parts: MIS and their impact on (1) user-beneficial behavior and outcomes, (2) firm-user-beneficial behavior, and (3) the psychological processes that lead to those behaviors. In addition to previous literature from the fields of marketing and management, further studies from related areas such as human-computer interaction and information systems will also be included since MIS and gamification research originates from those fields.

1.3.1. MIS and user-beneficial behavior and outcomes

In the context of MIS, user-beneficial behavior can be any activity which helps users to make progress towards their initial goal (i.e., the goal users seek to achieve by using the MIS). Since MIS are designed in a manner that activities performed with them are goal-oriented, user-beneficial behavior includes any behavior related to service engagement. Therefore, the section includes studies which investigated (intention to) service use, community participation, behavioral engagement, and MIS activity (Koivisto & Hamari, 2019). Qualitative studies in the contexts of brand communities (Harwood & Garry, 2015), healthcare (Hammedi et al., 2017), and co-creation platforms (Leclercq et al., 2017) indicate that MIS include different design principles which could

lead to enhanced service use and engagement. Further, a few quantitative studies show that MIS positively affect behavioral engagement intention (Eisingerich et al., 2019; Leclercq et al., 2018, 2020). More precisely, Eisingerich et al. (2019) found in the contexts of health and dating that design principles of MIS enhance system use intention while Leclercq et al. (2018, 2020) demonstrated in several experiments that depending on the MIS design, the intention to participate in co-creation communities increases or is not influenced at all. Furthermore, a field experiment revealed that MIS can increase the active participation in crowdsourcing platforms (Morschheuser et al., 2019). Additionally, Zimmerling et al. (2019) have found experimental evidence that MIS design can enhance quantitative output in an idea contest, but not the quality of contributions.

Next, previous literature on user-beneficial outcomes, understood as the results of goal-oriented behavior, will be compiled. This includes task performance, goal achievement, and user well-being (Koivisto & Hamari, 2019). Based on findings of user interviews, Harwood and Garry (2015) concluded that game features can increase task performance in communities. These findings are in line with the results of Mekler et al. (2017) who observed an increase in performance when employing MIS design principles in an image annotation task. However, studies in the context of education found inconclusive effects of MIS on performance (Attali & Arieli-Attali, 2015; Christy

& Fox, 2014; Hanus & Fox, 2015). While Attali and Arieli-Attali (2015) found no performance increase in three experiments with mathematic tests, Christy and Fox's (2014) results showed positive and negative effects of MIS on math performance depending on MIS design. In a field experiment across 16 weeks, students showed even lower scores when using MIS compared to conditions without MIS use (Hanus & Fox, 2015). Regarding MIS and user well-being, only a few studies have been conducted and they only focus on physical activity. While most studies came to the conclusion that MIS can enhance physical activity in the short term (Allam et al., 2015; Maher et al., 2015; Mitchell et al., 2017), Zuckerman and Gal-Oz (2014) found no differences in

performance by adding MIS design principles to a pedometer app. Results from an experiment propose that the physical activity can increase or even decrease depending on the design (Lopez &

Tucker, 2017).

In summary, the literature overview first suggests that several studies already investigated the impact of MIS on user behavior and predominantly found a positive relationship. However, those studies only consider behavioral intentions and some researchers question whether MIS can promote actual continued engagement behavior, or whether it fades quickly after the initial attraction (e.g., Etkin, 2016; Liu et al., 2017; Wemyss et al., 2019). Regarding user-beneficial outcomes, only a few studies exist, and they revealed mixed results. The findings indicate that for understanding the impact of MIS on users, it is important to know how to implement the design principles of MIS as this, in turn, determines how MIS are experienced by users which is key for unfolding desirable impact (e.g., Christy & Fox, 2014; Lopez & Tucker, 2017). The literature does not yet clearly state whether and how MIS support users’ goal achievement.

1.3.2. MIS and firm-beneficial behavior

Firm-beneficial behavior includes all user behavior that can improve the financial success of a firm.

This encompasses behavior already mentioned in the previous chapter like (intention to) service use, brand community participation, and behavioral engagement—but also product adoption, purchase, user commitment, loyalty, willingness to pay, and word-of-mouth, to name a few (Koivisto & Hamari, 2019). In marketing, studies found positive effects of MIS design on the adoption of product innovations and self-brand connection (Berger et al., 2018; Müller-Stewens et al., 2017). Furthermore, quantitative studies in the contexts of dating, health, and sports showed that MIS can increase purchase behavior (Eisingerich et al., 2019; Jang et al., 2018). Additionally,

findings of studies in the areas of sustainability and fitness are suggesting a positive relationship between MIS and word-of-mouth (Hamari & Koivisto, 2015b; Mulcahy et al., 2020).

Overall, the previous research indicates that the relationship between MIS and firm-beneficial behavior is positive. However, extant studies take a somewhat “static” perspective in that only immediate effects of MIS in terms of intention to service use and engagement were examined. No study investigated whether MIS unfold persistent consequences in terms of continued engagement or service use and whether these effects are still positive or whether unfavorable effects can arise.

Especially, indicators concerning the influence of MIS on the firm-customer relationship and customer lifetime value (e.g., commitment, willingness to pay more) have been neglected in prior research. Thus, in the same vein as for user goals, previous literature cannot satisfactorily answer the question of whether and how MIS support firms’ goal achievement.

1.3.3. MIS and its psychological consequences

Concerning the question of how MIS influence user behavior, in terms of the psychological processes that are initiated when using MIS, most of the literature initially assumed that the behavior is triggered by an increase in intrinsic motivation (Mekler et al., 2017; Seaborn & Fels, 2015). This originates from employing design principles of essentially hedonistic services, such as games. The underlying assumption is that these services are only used for their own sake and that the use itself is fun (Ryan et al., 2006). Thus, MIS use should also be pleasant and intrinsically motivating. However, this presumption has rarely been investigated empirically and the studies showed different results (Hanus & Fox, 2015; Landers et al., 2019; Mekler et al., 2017; Mitchell et al., 2017; Sailer et al., 2017; Xi & Hamari, 2019). While some studies show that MIS foster psychological need satisfaction (e.g., Sailer et al., 2017; Xi & Hamari, 2019), others find no effect on intrinsic motivation (e.g., Landers et al., 2019; Mekler et al., 2017; Mitchell et al., 2017) and

suggest that MIS rather trigger extrinsic motivation. This assumption is reinforced by the results of Hanus and Fox (2015), who even found a reduction in intrinsic motivation when using MIS design. Due to the one-sided consideration of psychological consequences of MIS, prior research cannot clarify how MIS drive user behavior in terms of which psychological processes can explain these relationships.