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Norms, Practices, and Rules of Virtual Community of Online Gamers: Applying the Institutional Theoretical Lens

Norms, Practices, and Rules of Virtual Community of Online Gamers: Applying the Institutional Theoretical Lens
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Author(s): Shafiz Affendi Mohd Yusof (University of Wollongong in Dubai, UAE & University Utara Malaysia, Malaysia)
Copyright: 2012
Pages: 13
Source title: Handbook of Research on Serious Games as Educational, Business and Research Tools
Source Author(s)/Editor(s): Maria Manuela Cruz-Cunha (Polytechnic Institute of Cavado and Ave, Portugal)
DOI: 10.4018/978-1-4666-0149-9.ch020

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Abstract

In this chapter, the author addresses a key question rooted in an institutional perspective: What norms, practices, and rules are evident in online gaming that facilitates the development of a virtual community of online gamers? Available studies have so far examined the institutional influences on organizations but not on virtual community. Thus, there is a compelling need to bridge fields such as IS and sociology in order to understand virtual communities of online gamers. The chapter comprises five sections: (1) examination of online gamers as an example of a virtual community; (2) brief description of institutional theory to illustrate the theoretical lens applied; (3) presentation of the methodology of the study; (4) discussion of the findings based on four different aspects: social roles and social positions, interaction rules, social control systems, and leadership; and finally (5) presentation of some implications and suggestion of future directions for study of the rapidly-growing phenomenon of online gaming.

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