Impact of Gamification on Social Network Platforms

Sammanfattning: This thesis examines the motivational drivers of gamification that influence the willingness to interact among platform end users. Two elements of gamification, reward and challenge were used as independent variables while playfulness, recognition, enjoyment and social influence served as mediating variables. By using TikTok as our case study, and collecting data from 281 respondents, the study sort to disclose the relative significance of each variable in enticing users to be active on a social network platform. This study follows a quantitative approach and Confirmatory Factor Analysis was conducted using component-based PLS-SEM in SmartPLS-3. Out of the eight hypothesis tested, Reward was found to have a significant positive relationship with end users' willingness to interact through playfulness, recognition and social influence. Challenge had a significant positive relationship with only one mediating variable: social influence. This study derived relevant theoretical and managerial implications for marketing managers, digital content creators, digital platform developers, advertisement specialists, website publishers among others. Most importantly, this study has added to the evidence that gamification is an effective tool for promoting interactivity among platform end users and increasing overall usage of the platform.