game based organization design eodf vienna 11 october 2013

Game Based Organization Design

Jeroen van Bree, PhD (@jeroenvanbree)

European Organisation Design Forum2013 Vienna Conference

Managing complexity is important to mycompany’s success

Increasing complexity is one of the biggest

challenges my company faces

Agree Disagree

0 20 40 60 80 100

94%

70%

6%

30%

Source: KPMG International, 2010

SECTORS AND THEMES

Title set in univers 65 bold

33pt on 36pt leading, white

Additional infor Univers 45 light 12pt on16pt leading

kpmg.com

Credits and authors in Univers 45 light 12 pt on14 pt leading

KPMG INTERNATIONAL

Confronting ComplexityResearch Findings and Insights

kpmg.com

MAY 2011

http://www.kpmg.com/Global/en/IssuesAndInsights/ArticlesPublications/Documents/complexity-research-report.pdf



Capitalizing on Complexity

Insights from the Global Chief Executive Officer Study

Stand out in a complex world !"

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Learning from top performers

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The complexity gapWhile eight out of ten CEOs anticipate signi#cant complexity ahead, less than half feel prepared to handle it.

Figure !

30%complexitygap49%

79%

Feel prepared for expected complexity

Expect high/very high level of complexit\�RYHU�ƄYH�\ears

“Really, I am not afraid of complexity at all. On the contrary, this just motivates me.”

Jacques Pellas, 6HFUÆWDLUH�*ÆQÆUDO��'DVVDXOW�$YLDWLRQ

http://www-935.ibm.com/services/us/ceo/ceostudy2010/



Volume 16(2): 227–247ISSN 1350–5084

Copyright © 2009 SAGE Publications(Los Angeles, London, New Delhi,

Singapore and Washington DC)

Exploring the Edges of Theory-Practice Gap: Epistemic Cultures in Strategy-Tool Development and Use

Johanna Moisander Helsinki School of Economics, Department of Marketing and Management, Helsinki, Finland

Sari Stenfors SCANCOR, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA

Abstract. This paper takes a strategy-as-practice perspective on the study of strategy tools and the theory-practice gap in strategic management research. Based on a case study, the paper argues that differences in epistemic culture may complicate communication and co-operation between academics and practitioners. These differences may also result in management scholars producing knowledge and strategy tools that lack practical pertinence for corporate actors, particularly in the context of modernist management scholars and contemporary post-bureaucratic knowledge organizations (PBOs). In PBOs, where fl exibility, participative management style and consensus building dialogue are emphasized, modernist strategy tools designed for rational problem solving by individual decision-makers may be inadequate. In PBOs, practical strategy work calls for tools that support collective knowledge production, promote dialogue and trust, and function as learning tools. Overall, the paper concludes that the development of strategy tools that actually support practical strategizing calls for a more social model of knowledge and strategy work. Key words. epistemic culture; management tools; sociology of technology; strategic management; strategy as practice

DOI: 10.1177/1350508408100476 http://org.sagepub.com

http://org.sagepub.com/content/16/2/227.short



Volume 16(2): 227–247ISSN 1350–5084








Tools designed for rational problem solving by individual decision-

makers




Volume 16(2): 227–247ISSN 1350–5084








Tools designed for rational problem solving by individual decision-

makers

Tools that support collective knowledge production, promote

dialogue and trust, and function as learning

tools




Games_

Play_

Games

Games

Play

RUles_

Games

Play

Rules

Game Based Organization Design_

Games

Play

Rules


http://www.newzoo.com/infographics/infographic-2012-uk/



Games

Play

Rules


Michael L. Baird, flickr.bairdphotos.com

http://flickr.bairdphotos.com/

http://flickr.bairdphotos.com/

‘ordered play is not play’

1

Mandatory Fun: Gamification and the Impact of Games at Work

Ethan Mollick*

Nancy Rothbard*

Management Department, The Wharton School

University of Pennsylvania

June 5, 2013

PRELIMINARY DRAFT SUBJECT TO CHANGE

*Authorship order is alphabetical as both authors contributed equally to this manuscript.

Note: We thank Sigal Barsade, Matthew Bidwell, and Adam Grant, for their helpful comments on prior drafts. We thank participants of the ICOS seminar series at the University of Michigan, the Management division seminar series at Columbia Business School, and the Organizational Behavior Unit seminar series at Harvard Business School for their helpful feedback.

http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2277103



32

exploring these questions in an organization, rather than a lab setting, allows us to make stronger

inferences about how these initiatives influence people at work.

CONCLUSION

Drawing on several theoretical perspectives, we argue that the impact of games is due to

their ability to engage workers who consent to play the game. However, the externally imposed

nature of gamification makes it vulnerable to the paradox of mandatory fun, where games that

are imposed by management require worker consent in a way that games generated organically

by workers do not. In our field experiment, we find that games, when consented to, increase

positive affect at work, but, when consent is lacking, decrease positive affect and performance.

This work offers a first attempt to measure the impact of the type of games imposed by

management on employees, and to theorize about the role of games at work. With the increasing

ubiquity of games in all aspects of life, and the harnessing of games at work through

gamification, this topic will only grow in importance. Future studies are needed to understand the

boundary conditions under which workplace games produce their effects, and to further elucidate

the mechanisms through which games generate engagement. However, our findings serve as both

encouragement and a warning for those using games to generate changes in employee affect or

performance: games can have powerful effects that can be either positive or negative, depending

on the underlying consent of the game players.

32

exploring these questions in an organization, rather than a lab setting, allows us to make stronger

inferences about how these initiatives influence people at work.

CONCLUSION

Drawing on several theoretical perspectives, we argue that the impact of games is due to

their ability to engage workers who consent to play the game. However, the externally imposed

nature of gamification makes it vulnerable to the paradox of mandatory fun, where games that

are imposed by management require worker consent in a way that games generated organically

by workers do not. In our field experiment, we find that games, when consented to, increase

positive affect at work, but, when consent is lacking, decrease positive affect and performance.

This work offers a first attempt to measure the impact of the type of games imposed by

management on employees, and to theorize about the role of games at work. With the increasing

ubiquity of games in all aspects of life, and the harnessing of games at work through

gamification, this topic will only grow in importance. Future studies are needed to understand the

boundary conditions under which workplace games produce their effects, and to further elucidate

the mechanisms through which games generate engagement. However, our findings serve as both

encouragement and a warning for those using games to generate changes in employee affect or

performance: games can have powerful effects that can be either positive or negative, depending

on the underlying consent of the game players.

‘play is not real life’

Playing a game is the voluntary effort to overcome unnecessary obstacles.

- Bernard Suits

Fevi in Pictures

lusory attitude

http://hbr.org/2004/05/learning-to-lead-at-toyota/ar/1



Games Managers Play:Play as a Form of

Leadership DevelopmentRONIT KARK

Bar-Ilan University

In recent years, organizations have expended considerable effort and resources todevelop and improve managers’ leadership skills through various forms of play. I explorethe role of play in leadership development processes. Drawing on theories of leader andleadership development and theories of play, I develop a conceptual framework,suggesting that play can contribute to different components of leader and leadershipdevelopment processes (i.e., leadership identity, cognitive abilities, and behavioral skills).Furthermore, the role of creating safe play spaces in leadership development processes ishighlighted. The discussion examines the implications and applications of play forleadership development processes, points to the dangers of misuse of play, and outlinesdirections for further empirical research.

........................................................................................................................................................................

“At some point as we get older . . . we aremade to feel guilty for playing. We are toldthat it is unproductive, a waste of time, evensinful. The play that remains is, like leaguesports, mostly very organized, rigid, and com-petitive. We strive to always be productive.This is not the case. . . the truth is that in mostcases, play is a catalyst. The beneficial ef-fects of getting just a little true play canspread through our lives, usually making usmore productive and happier in everythingwe do” (Brown, 2009).

“A child in play acts ‘as though he were ahead taller than himself’” (Vygotsky, 1978:102).

In recent years, organizations have expended agreat deal of effort and resources in an attempt toteach managers how to lead (e.g., Industry reports,2000). Recent approaches to leadership challengethe notion that individuals are born as leaders and

focus on ways to develop individuals’ capacity toengage effectively in leadership roles (e.g., Day &Zaccaro, 2004; McCall, 2004). This has resulted invarious methods, training programs, and work-shops designed for this purpose. Many organiza-tions view leadership development as a majorsource of sustainable competitive advantage andplace leadership development at the core of theircorporate culture (McCall & Hollenbeck, 2002).Leadership development programs and processeshave become instrumental in many organizations,and they have fostered an industry that generatesvast sums of capital and offers a broad range ofpossibilities (e.g., Arthur, Bennett, Edens, & Bell,2003; Salas & Cannon-Bowers, 2001).

Over the past decade, research attention hasbeen devoted to the theory and practice of leader-ship development (e.g., Avolio & Hannah, 2008;Collins & Holton, 2004; Day, Zaccaro, & Halpin,2004; DeRue & Ashford, 2010). The general consen-sus is that different managerial populations needdifferent kinds of learning opportunities, but littletheoretical and empirical guidance exists to helppractitioners and HR personnel select or combinemethods that are best suited to each group (Guil-len & Ibarra, 2009).

Some leadership development programs consistof experiences that span just a few hours, whileothers may last several days, or even take the formof extended seminars. In addition, the nature of

I am grateful to Irit Feldman-Levy for her meaningful and cre-ative contribution to this paper and to Sim Sitkin and the anon-ymous reviewers for their valuable feedback. I thank MoranAnisman, Tal Ben Shahar, Yair Berson, Avi Carmeli, JacobEisenberg, Shaul Fox, and Rivka Tuval Mashiach for their help-ful comments on earlier versions. I also thank my children—Omer, Ofri, & Clil for reminding me of the importance andenjoyment of play.

! Academy of Management Learning & Education, 2011, Vol. 10, No. 3, 507–527. http://dx.doi.org/10.5465/amle.2010.0048

........................................................................................................................................................................

507Copyright of the Academy of Management, all rights reserved. Contents may not be copied, emailed, posted to a listserv, or otherwise transmitted without the copyright holder’sexpress written permission. Users may print, download, or email articles for individual use only.

Learning to play, playing to learnA case study of a ludic learning space

Alice Y. Kolb and David A. KolbWeatherhead School of Management, Case Western Reserve University,

Cleveland, Ohio, USA

AbstractPurpose – The purpose of this paper is to propose an experiential learning framework forunderstanding how play can potentially create a unique ludic learning space conducive to deep learning.

Design/methodology/approach – The framework is developed by integrating two perspectives.First, from multidisciplinary theories of play to uncover the underlying play principles that contributeto the emergence of the ludic learning space are drawn. Then the formation of a ludic learning spacethrough a case study of a pick-up softball league where for 15 years, a group of individuals diverse inage group, gender, level of education, and ethnic background have come together to play are examined.

Findings – The case study suggests that play in a ludic learning space can promote deep learning inthe intellectual, physical, spiritual, and moral realms.

Originality/value – This paper uses the play literature to inform the experiential learning concept ofthe learning space.

Keywords Experiential learning, Learning processes, Ball games

Paper type Case study

1. IntroductionThe cultural historian, Huzinga (1950) contends that from the very beginning, culturesevolved in forms of play. The instinct of play pervades all human endeavors: in law,science,war, philosophy, and in the arts.Through the eyes ofHuizinga, humans emergenotasHomo sapiens, themanwho knows, but primarily asHomo Ludens, themanwho plays.

Play encompasses a wide range of activities and forms both in human and animalworld. From the play-fight of kittens, imaginary play of a child, to the more abstractplay of adult games and organized sports, it permeates our lives as a significant sourceof creativity, imagination, and fun. While play has undoubtedly been a unique anduniversal human experience across cultures, it has also been the subject of scholarlyinquiry across diverse fields of social science with a substantial accumulation oftheoretical and empirical evidence about its significance in the process of individualexpression and adaptation (Callois, 2001; Dewey, 1990; Erikson, 1950; Freud, 1965;Gadamer, 1992; Mainemelis and Ronson, 2006; Miller, 1974; Piaget, 1962; Sutton-Smith,1997; Turner, 1974; Vygotsky, 1966; Winnicott, 1971).

Recently, Singer et al. (2006) emphasized the importance of play in human cognitiveand social-emotional growth by issuing the bold statement that play ! learning.While play has been characterized as “older and more original than civilization”Huizinga (1950, p. 1) and has been defined as a distinct form of behavior possessingserious biological, developmental, functional, and evolutionary implications in animallife (Bekoff and Byers, 1998; Darwin, 1965, 1981; Fagen, 1981, 1984, 1994; Goodall, 1995;Groos, 1898; Lorenz, 1971) in reality, play has been devalued and continues to besqueezed out of our formal educational institutions under the misguided view that

The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available at

www.emeraldinsight.com/0953-4814.htm

JOCM23,1

26

Journal of Organizational ChangeManagementVol. 23 No. 1, 2010pp. 26-50q Emerald Group Publishing Limited0953-4814DOI 10.1108/09534811011017199

http://connection.ebscohost.com/c/articles/67074189/games-managers-play-play-as-form-leadership-development

http://www.emeraldinsight.com/journals.htm?articleid=1838283







lusory space

Games

Play

Rules


Playing a game is the voluntary effort to overcome unnecessary obstacles.

- Bernard Suits

the spoilsport

the cheat

gaming the system

‘these are the rules’

design flaw

lusory space

gaming the system

rules

game play

rulesdeclarative contentgame play

simple rules

simple rules

complex game play

Tristan Martin

descriptive rules

prescriptive rules

http://hbr.org/2001/01/strategy-as-simple-rules/ar/1



circumscriptive rules

Space of Possibilities

lusory space

gaming the system

underspecification

Games

Play

Rules


http://www.sup.org/book.cgi?id=1448



A primary danger in designing is overdesign. Life persists when designs are underspecified.

- Karl E. Weick

game design

declarative content

declarative contentgame play

rulesdeclarative contentgame play

game play

rules

testgame play

rules

adjust

testgame play

rules

adjust

test

Second-order Design

game play

rules


paper prototype


playtesting

adjust

test

Second-order Design

gameplay

rules

game design

game designbased organization

Space of Possibilities

lusory space

gaming the system

underspecification

co-creation

organizational designer


co-designers


co-designersstakeholders

all stakeholders

co-designers

organizationaldesigner

setting goals and establishing framework

filling out the framework

envisioning core mechanisms

building paper prototype

playtesting, round 1: adding rules

obtaining additional information

playtesting, round 2

all stakeholders

co-designers


corporate strategy

corporate strategy

rule set peripheral strategy

paper prototype

corporate strategy


paper prototype

new structures & processes

corporate strategy


paper prototype


change management

tool for training or change management

tool for training or change management design tool


game is finished product


game is finished productgame is paper prototype, conduit for understanding



players are not involved in design of game



players are not involved in design of game game is co-created




detailed representation




detailed representationabstract representation (rules), complexity comes from players


co-designers

How can we encourage our clients to adopt a healthy lifestyle?

what does our strategic vision mean for our business processes and structures?


what should our way of working look like as our start-up company grows?


what should our way of working look like as our start-up company grows?

how can we achieve the goals we have with our IT community?


co-designers

lusory space

gaming the system

emergence

• 3 forms of healthy behavior

• 7 stakeholders on this playing field

• 10 indicators of a healthy lifestyle

• 60 reasons not to adopt a healthy lifestyle

• 75 drivers for a healthy lifestyle



co-designers




all stakeholders

co-designers

lusory space

gaming the system

emergence

corporate strategy


paper prototype


change management

all stakeholders

co-designers


35 interventions

all stakeholders

co-designers


35 interventions

all stakeholders

co-designers


15 interventions

35 interventions

all stakeholders

co-designers


15 interventions

2 interventions

corporate strategy


paper prototype


change management








all stakeholders

co-designers









all stakeholders

co-designers


re-design organizational system

corporate strategy

rules peripheral strategy

paper prototype


change management


Jeroen van Bree, PhD (@jeroenvanbree)

European Organisation Design Forum2013 Vienna Conference

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game based organization design eodf vienna 11 october 2013

Business

development of strategy

modernist strategy tools

study of strategy tools

practical strategy work

strategytool development

strategic management

participative management

theorypractice gap