The Influence Mechanism Of Gamification System Affordances On Employees’ Thriving And Cynicisim

Gamification management has become a hot word in the field of enterprise management.Only around 20% of employees worldwide are actively engaged in their work,however,they seem to be more "engaged" in the game world.As a result,more and more companies are experimenting with gamification management models.However,there are cases of failure.In addition,existing research lacks an exploration of gamification in the workplace,and there are no consistent conclusions about the impact of gamification.Therefore,this paper raises the following research questions: Firstly,what are the affordances of work gamification systems? Secondly,how does gamification affect employees’ work?What are its intrinsic mechanisms?Based on the COR(Conservation of Resources)theory perspective,this study uses the affordances-psychological outcomes-behavioural outcomes as an overaching conceptual model and views the gamification system as a work resource that can play both a direct motivational and buffering role.Supported by technology affordances theory and gamification-related research,a mediating model is constructed in which the affordances of gamification influences employees’ work thriving and cynicism through the instrument and sense of meaning.Employees who are using the gamification management system in their companies are our respondents.Data are collected using a two-stage follow-up questionnaire and analyses using SPSS26.0 and Smart PLS3.0 software.The innovation of this study is as follows: this paper understands gamification system from the perspective of affordances,studies the impact of gamification on employees’ work based on the theory of COR,explores the dual path effect of gamification,and reveals the internal mechanism of gamification effect.The results show that gamification affordances can influence employees’ work through the instrument and sense of meaning.However,the relationship between competitiveness and instrument is not validated.The theoretical implications of this paper are,Firstly,to identify gamification affordances.Understanding gamification systems in terms of affordances enriches both gamification-related and affordances-related research;Secondly,it examines the impact of gamification on employees’ work based on COR theory,gamification systems is seen as a work resource and its positive effect on employees is understood from the dual path of promoting thriving and reducing cynicism;Furthermore,it enriches the research on the effects of gamification.This paper explores both the positive effects of gamification on employees’ work and the alleviation of negative emotions by gamification.Finally,it reveals the underlying mechanisms of the impact effects of gamification.This study considers both instrument and sense of meaning as psychological outcomes of gamification.The practical implications of this paper are,Firstly,this study can help enterprise decision makers realize the overall value of gamification in enterprise management.Secondly,for managers,this study can help them understand the dual ways that gamification affects employees’ work,so as to better play the positive role of gamification.Finally,for gamification system developers,this study makes them aware of which gamification affordance is effective in influencing employees’ work in the context of Chinese culture,and which is ineffective.