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The Ethics of Gamification in a Marketing Context

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  • Andrea Stevenson Thorpe

    (Kedge Business School)

  • Stephen Roper

    (Warwick Business School)

Abstract

Gamification is an increasingly common marketing tool. Yet, to date, there has been little examination of its ethical implications. In light of the potential implications of this type of stealth marketing for consumer welfare, this paper discusses the ethical dilemmas raised by the use of gamified approaches to marketing. The paper draws on different schools of ethics to examine gamification as an overall system, as well as its constituent parts. This discussion leads to a rationale and suggestions for how gamification could be regulated and/or controlled by more informal codes of conduct. The paper ends by outlining a practical framework which businesses can use to evaluate the potential ethical implications raised by their own gamified marketing techniques.

Suggested Citation

  • Andrea Stevenson Thorpe & Stephen Roper, 2019. "The Ethics of Gamification in a Marketing Context," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 155(2), pages 597-609, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:jbuset:v:155:y:2019:i:2:d:10.1007_s10551-017-3501-y
    DOI: 10.1007/s10551-017-3501-y
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    2. Wallace, Elaine & Torres, Pedro & Augusto, Mário & Stefuryn, Maryana, 2021. "Outcomes for self-expressive brands followed on social media: Identifying different paths for inner self-expressive and social self-expressive brands," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 135(C), pages 519-531.
    3. João M. Lopes & Sofia Gomes & Ivo Rodrigues, 2024. "Playing the gamification and co-creation game: a bibliometric literature review," Management Review Quarterly, Springer, vol. 74(1), pages 353-376, February.
    4. Stahl, B.C. & Andreou, A. & Brey, P. & Hatzakis, T. & Kirichenko, A. & Macnish, K. & Laulhé Shaelou, S. & Patel, A. & Ryan, M. & Wright, D., 2021. "Artificial intelligence for human flourishing – Beyond principles for machine learning," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 124(C), pages 374-388.
    5. Donafeby Widyani, 2021. "Gamification as a marketing strategy for Garuda Indonesia loyalty program," International Journal of Research in Business and Social Science (2147-4478), Center for the Strategic Studies in Business and Finance, vol. 10(7), pages 418-422, October.
    6. Hana Dler Ahmed & Gulsum Asiksoy, 2021. "The Effects of Gamified Flipped Learning Method on Student’s Innovation Skills, Self-Efficacy towards Virtual Physics Lab Course and Perceptions," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(18), pages 1-19, September.
    7. Adnan Veysel Ertemel & Ela Ari, 2020. "A Marketing Approach to a Psychological Problem: Problematic Smartphone Use on Adolescents," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(7), pages 1-17, April.
    8. Zaman, Mustafeed & Vo-Thanh, Tan & Nguyen, Chi T.K. & Hasan, Rajibul & Akter, Shahriar & Mariani, Marcello & Hikkerova, Lubica, 2023. "Motives for posting fake reviews: Evidence from a cross-cultural comparison," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 154(C).

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