IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/kap/jbuset/v153y2018i1d10.1007_s10551-016-3408-z.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Virtual to Virtuous Money: A Virtue Ethics Perspective on Video Game Business Logic

Author

Listed:
  • Olli I. Heimo

    (University of Turku)

  • J. Tuomas Harviainen

    (Hanken School of Economics)

  • Kai K. Kimppa

    (University of Turku)

  • Tuomas Mäkilä

    (University of Turku)

Abstract

In this article, we expand on the models available for defining various different business logics relevant to video game development, especially those concerning free-to-play games. We use the models to analyse those business logics from an Aristotelian virtue ethics perspective. We argue that if an individual wishes to follow the Aristotelian virtue ethics code in order to develop the virtues inherent in his or her own character (as in the personal character of the developer, not a character in the game), how he or she chooses to try and generate revenue from the fruits of his or her labour is not irrelevant. Moreover, we argue that some of these methods are in fact vices, which are damaging to the character of the developer, and should therefore be avoided.

Suggested Citation

  • Olli I. Heimo & J. Tuomas Harviainen & Kai K. Kimppa & Tuomas Mäkilä, 2018. "Virtual to Virtuous Money: A Virtue Ethics Perspective on Video Game Business Logic," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 153(1), pages 95-103, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:jbuset:v:153:y:2018:i:1:d:10.1007_s10551-016-3408-z
    DOI: 10.1007/s10551-016-3408-z
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s10551-016-3408-z
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s10551-016-3408-z?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Rohan Miller & Grant Michelson, 2013. "Fixing the Game? Legitimacy, Morality Policy and Research in Gambling," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 116(3), pages 601-614, September.
    2. David McPherson, 2013. "Vocational Virtue Ethics: Prospects for a Virtue Ethic Approach to Business," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 116(2), pages 283-296, August.
    3. Lehdonvirta, Vili & Castronova, Edward, 2014. "Virtual Economies: Design and Analysis," MIT Press Books, The MIT Press, edition 1, volume 1, number 0262027259, December.
    4. Arkes, Hal R. & Blumer, Catherine, 1985. "The psychology of sunk cost," Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, Elsevier, vol. 35(1), pages 124-140, February.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Ismail Adelopo & Ibrahim Rufai & Moshood Bello, 2023. "Financial Accountability and Religious Sentiments: The Case of Sukuk Bond," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 182(2), pages 397-420, January.
    2. Miikka J. Lehtonen & J. Tuomas Harviainen & Annakaisa Kultima, 2023. "How monetization mechanisms in mobile games influence consumers’ identity extensions," Service Business, Springer;Pan-Pacific Business Association, vol. 17(1), pages 113-136, March.
    3. David Zendle & Rachel Meyer & Nick Ballou, 2020. "The changing face of desktop video game monetisation: An exploration of exposure to loot boxes, pay to win, and cosmetic microtransactions in the most-played Steam games of 2010-2019," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 15(5), pages 1-13, May.
    4. Lehtonen, Miikka J. & Vesa, Mikko & Harviainen, J. Tuomas, 2022. "Games-as-a-Disservice: Emergent value co-destruction in platform business models," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 141(C), pages 564-574.
    5. J. Tuomas Harviainen & Janne Paavilainen & Elina Koskinen, 2020. "Ayn Rand’s Objectivist Ethics Applied to Video Game Business," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 167(4), pages 761-774, December.
    6. Denis Bulygin & Ilya Musabirov, 2020. "How People Reflect On The Usage Of Cosmetic Virtual Goods: A Structural Topic Modeling Analysis Of R/Dota2 Discussions," HSE Working papers WP BRP 60/MAN/2020, National Research University Higher School of Economics.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. J. Tuomas Harviainen & Janne Paavilainen & Elina Koskinen, 2020. "Ayn Rand’s Objectivist Ethics Applied to Video Game Business," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 167(4), pages 761-774, December.
    2. Sleesman, Dustin J., 2019. "Pushing through the tension while stuck in the mud: Paradox mindset and escalation of commitment," Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, Elsevier, vol. 155(C), pages 83-96.
    3. Boehne, Donna M. & Paese, Paul W., 2000. "Deciding Whether to Complete or Terminate an Unfinished Project: A Strong Test of the Project Completion Hypothesis," Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, Elsevier, vol. 81(2), pages 178-194, March.
    4. Freeman, Steven F., 1997. "Good decisions : reconciling human rationality, evolution, and ethics," Working papers WP 3962-97., Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Sloan School of Management.
    5. Andrea Morone & Simone Nuzzo & Rocco Caferra, 2019. "The Dollar Auction Game: A Laboratory Comparison Between Individuals and Groups," Group Decision and Negotiation, Springer, vol. 28(1), pages 79-98, February.
    6. Sugata Marjit & Biswajit Mandal, 2017. "Virtual trade between separated time zones and growth," International Journal of Economic Theory, The International Society for Economic Theory, vol. 13(2), pages 171-183, June.
    7. Louis Lévy-Garboua & Claude Montmarquette, 1996. "Cognition In Seemingly Riskless Choices And Judgments," Rationality and Society, , vol. 8(2), pages 167-185, May.
    8. Robert E. Till & Mary Beth Yount, 2019. "Governance and Incentives: Is It Really All about the Money?," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 159(3), pages 605-618, October.
    9. H. Henry Cao & Bing Han & David Hirshleifer & Harold H. Zhang, 2011. "Fear of the Unknown: Familiarity and Economic Decisions," Review of Finance, European Finance Association, vol. 15(1), pages 173-206.
    10. repec:cup:judgdm:v:8:y:2013:i:5:p:521-526 is not listed on IDEAS
    11. Mehmet Nar, 2015. "The Effects of Behavioral Economics on Tax Amnesty," International Journal of Economics and Financial Issues, Econjournals, vol. 5(2), pages 580-589.
    12. Christoph Bühren & Thorben C. Kundt, 2013. "Worker or Shirker – Who Evades More Taxes? A Real Effort Experiment," MAGKS Papers on Economics 201326, Philipps-Universität Marburg, Faculty of Business Administration and Economics, Department of Economics (Volkswirtschaftliche Abteilung).
    13. Zhang, nan & Qin, Botao, 2020. "Reference point adaptation and air quality – Experimental evidence with anti-PM 2.5 facemasks from China," MPRA Paper 102935, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    14. Hisaki Kono & Yasuyuki Sawada & Abu S. Shonchoy, 2016. "DVD-based Distance-learning Program for University Entrance Exams: Experimental Evidence from Rural Bangladesh," CIRJE F-Series CIRJE-F-1027, CIRJE, Faculty of Economics, University of Tokyo.
    15. Funk, Matt, 2008. "On the Problem of Sustainable Economic Development: A Theoretical Solution to this Prisoner's Dilemma," MPRA Paper 19025, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised 08 Jun 2008.
    16. Kim, Jungkeun, 2019. "The impact of different price promotions on customer retention," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 46(C), pages 95-102.
    17. Argenton, Cedric & Wang, Xiaoyu, 2020. "Litigation and Settlement under Loss Aversion," Discussion Paper 2020-008, Tilburg University, Center for Economic Research.
    18. David Hirshleifer & Ivo Welch, 2002. "An Economic Approach to the Psychology of Change: Amnesia, Inertia, and Impulsiveness," Journal of Economics & Management Strategy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 11(3), pages 379-421, September.
    19. Florian Englmaier & Arno Schmöller, 2008. "Reserve Price Formation in Online Auctions," CESifo Working Paper Series 2374, CESifo.
    20. Bietenbeck, Jan & Leibing, Andreas & Marcus, Jan & Weinhardt, Felix, 2023. "Tuition fees and educational attainment," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 154(C).
    21. Sharma, Dheeraj & Pandey, Shivendra, 2020. "The role payment depreciation in short temporal separations: Should online retailer make customers wait?," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 53(C).

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:kap:jbuset:v:153:y:2018:i:1:d:10.1007_s10551-016-3408-z. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.springer.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.