Design Principles for Doing Business on Second Life:  an immersive ethnographic study

This paper addresses the question of designing a virtual world business. A popular and economically thriving community - namely Second Life (www.lindenlab.com) - was selected for the research investigation. From an extensive literature review, a conceptual framework was developed in order to model the four most thriving industries on Second Life: (1) Real Estate, (2) Building, (3) Fashion, and (4) Entertainment. A six-month immersive ethnographic study was conducted using two primary research techniques of participant observations and in-depth interviews. For each industry, the results are summarized according to the business areas that were deemed critical. The final section presents a synthesis of the integrated context to gain further insights on the industrial dependency among the four industries. The PARTS framework of Brandenburger and Nalebuff (1995) was used to synthesise design rules for the business owner operating in a virtual economy. The paper concludes by linking the act of fantasy fulfilment with the demand for virtual goods and services.

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Review of the Virtual World Community

Understanding the Interactive Digital Media Marketplace ◽

10.4018/978-1-61350-147-4.ch020 ◽

2012 ◽

pp. 246-257

Author(s):

Reza Y. Azeharie

Keyword(s):

Second Life ◽

Virtual World ◽

World Community ◽

Virtual Economy ◽

World Consumption

This chapter provides a discussion and an analysis on the virtual world community from the economic and commercial angle to explore further its financial potential. A prominent virtual world called Second Life has been chosen as a proxy of the review. A background section is provided for readers unfamiliar with the concepts and colloquialisms of Second Life, and it is followed by an in-depth discussion of virtual economy and commerce. Understanding the essence of virtual world consumption is seen as necessary to realize the financial potential. It concludes with the need to abide by DRM rights and understand the line between fantasy fulfillment and entertainment when participating in the virtual world.

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WHY PEOPLE JOIN VIRTUAL WORLDS OF COMPUTER GAMES? QUALITATIVE RESEARCH AMONGST POLISH USERS

CBU International Conference Proceedings ◽

10.12955/cbup.v7.1352 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 7 ◽

Author(s):

Magdalena Hofman-Kohlmeyer

Keyword(s):

Virtual Worlds ◽

Second Life ◽

Computer Games ◽

Virtual World ◽

Real Life ◽

Target Market ◽

The World ◽

Game Environment ◽

Game Developers ◽

Depth Interviews

Introduction: When virtual worlds (e.g. Second Life or World of Warcraft) became immensely popular, with millions of active users around the world, real life companies started to utilize them for business purposes, such as testing new products or organizing various events. However, the activities of companies can only be successful if a sufficient number of players are engaged in virtual worlds. Objectives: The present paper is aimed to investigate individual players’ motives for joining virtual worlds of computer games. Methods: The author carried out 22 in-depth interviews amongst polish players (20 were finally accepted) of three virtual worlds: The Sims, Second Life and Euro Track Simulator 2. Interviews were carried out from August 21, 2018 to December 5, 2018. Results: Respondents most frequently mentioned consecutively: curiosity (caused by TV series, TV programme, newspaper or advertisement), interact with others, interest in the topic of a game, enjoyment from playing, opportunity to see or do things unattainable in real life, exploring the virtual world, spending free time. With reference to the gratification paradigm, individual motivations were divided into: experiential (16 motives), functional (6 motives), social (3 motives). From the perspective of marketing managers, understanding the motivations of players allows them to describe the target market of their promotional activities inside the game environment. For game developers, it can help attract new and maintain current users.

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Review of the Virtual World Community

Digital Rights Management ◽

10.4018/978-1-4666-2136-7.ch074 ◽

2013 ◽

pp. 1462-1473

Author(s):

Reza Y. Azeharie

Keyword(s):

Second Life ◽

Virtual World ◽

World Community ◽

Virtual Economy ◽

World Consumption

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A Study on Consumers’ Awareness on Goods and Services Tax

International Journal of Emerging Research in Management and Technology ◽

10.23956/ijermt.v6i11.44 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 6 (11) ◽

pp. 30

Author(s):

A. Hilary Joseph ◽

D. Kanakavalli

Keyword(s):

Tax Reform ◽

Subsequent Stage ◽

State Governments ◽

Value Addition ◽

Goods And Services ◽

Late Night ◽

Single Tax ◽

Doing Business ◽

Ease Of Doing Business ◽

The One

The Goods and Services Tax (GST) -- India's biggest tax reform since independence formally launched in Parliament by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Pranab Mukherjee came into force after 17 tumultuous years of debate, unifying more than a dozen central and state levies. The new tax regime was ushered at the late night of 30th June and came into force on 1st July 2017. The one national GST unifies the country's USD 2 trillion economy and 1.3 billion people into a common market. As commented by Mr.Modi, GST is not just tax reform but its economic reform. GST is a way forward in the ease of doing business. In the language of law, it is called the goods and services tax, but the benefit of GST is really a Good and Simple Tax. Good because multiple taxes will be removed. Simple because it requires just one form and is easy to use. GST is a single tax on the supply of goods and services, right from the manufacturer to the consumer. Credits of input taxes paid at each stage will be available in the subsequent stage of value addition, which makes GST essentially a tax only on value addition at each stage. The final consumer will thus bear only the GST charged by the last dealer in the supply chain, with set-off benefits at all the previous stages. It renders numerous benefits to different parties such as business and industry, central and state governments and the ultimate consumers. An effort is made to understand the consumers’ awareness on Goods and Services Tax. Everything that is introduced will attract agitation and unrest among different group of people and they can easily be overcome by designing programmes to clarify the objections of renowned economists. GST will sure to have success when the confidence of every individual Indian citizens have obtained.

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Social Media and Emotional Well-being: Pursuit of Happiness or Pleasure

Asia Pacific Media Educator ◽

10.1177/1326365x211003737 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 1326365X2110037

Author(s):

D. Guna Graciyal ◽

Deepa Viswam

Keyword(s):

Social Media ◽

Social Networking ◽

Virtual World ◽

Mixed Methods Research ◽

Well Being ◽

Pursuit Of Happiness ◽

Social Dysfunction ◽

Combining Data ◽

Social Media Platforms ◽

Depth Interviews

Virtual engagement of lives has been made possible with the advent of social media. Almost 80% of the day are spent virtually on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, Snapchat, etc. Usage of social media to connect to and communicate with the ones we care about is always healthy, termed as social networking. Social dysfunction occurs when the constant communication leads to the point where our real or offline life gets replaced by virtual or online life. There is a slight boundary between social networking and social dysfunction. When social networking is advantageous, social dysfunction affects emotional well-being. When emotional well-being is affected, many users experience a compulsion to dissociate from the real world as they find virtual world, full of fantasy and enjoyment. When the Internet was created, perhaps no one was aware of its potential. More than the convenience for sharing of information it has brought the world so close to crumbling the geographical boundaries. The more people-to-people communication is, the more is the strengthening of relationships, bonds grow stronger with ‘more’ social media platforms. Being on ‘more’ social media platforms has become a benchmark for living amidst the younger generation. Either as an activity of happiness or as an activity of pleasure, users tend to use social media at varying levels. This paper aims to conceptualize the the intricacies of social media in young lives and to discern whether their association is happiness or pleasure activity. The research method of this paper has a mixed-methods research design combining data from structured survey with information outputs from in-depth interviews.

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A team-based competition for undergraduate medical students to learn radiology within the virtual world Second Life

Insights into Imaging ◽

10.1186/s13244-021-01032-3 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Teodoro Rudolphi-Solero ◽

Alberto Jimenez-Zayas ◽

Rocio Lorenzo-Alvarez ◽

Dolores Domínguez-Pinos ◽

Miguel Jose Ruiz-Gomez ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Medical Students ◽

Second Life ◽

Virtual World ◽

Student Perception ◽

Load Test ◽

Undergraduate Medical Students ◽

Exposure Test ◽

Radiological Anatomy ◽

Post Exposure ◽

Course Grades

Abstract Background A multi-user competitive game within the virtual world Second Life for undergraduate radiology learning was adapted for team participation. This study aimed to assess student perception, impact on learning, and eventual correlation of game results with post-exposure tests and course grades. Methods The game consisted of six weekly stages, dedicated to thoracic, abdominal, and musculoskeletal radiological anatomy and semiology. Participants had several days a week to review self-guided radiology educational content and then complete individual multiple-choice tests and solve team tasks to progress through the game's ranking. Additionally, they completed a cognitive load test, a questionnaire about the experience and a post-exposure knowledge test. Results Fifty-two students organised into 13 teams participated in the game and assessed different aspects of the experience with a mean score ≥ 7.8 on a 10-point scale, highlighting the participation of the teacher (9.3 ± 1.1), the educational contents (8.8 ± 1.4) and the usefulness for their education (8.7 ± 1.4). Participants obtained better post-exposure test results (p < 0.007) and better course grades (p < 0.021) than non-participants did. Conclusion A multi-user game adapted to team competition to learn radiology in Second Life was very positively perceived by third-year medical students, who highly valued its content, organisation, and usefulness for their training. Most of the participants agreed that they had collaborated as a team and that playing in competitive environments helps them learn better. The best post-exposure and academic results compared to non-participating students indicate the potential impact of the game on learning.

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Second Life and Classical Music Education: Developing Iconography That Encourages Human Interaction

Journal of Virtual Worlds Research ◽

10.4101/jvwr.v2i1.392 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 2 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

David Thomas Schwartz

Keyword(s):

Music Education ◽

Second Life ◽

Virtual World ◽

Classical Music ◽

Human Interaction ◽

Socratic Method ◽

Web Based ◽

Disney World ◽

Educational Paths

Since January 2007, Music Academy Online , a web-based business dedicated to generating interest in classical music, has been developing a ‘Disney World for Classical Music’ in the virtual world of Second Life®. The virtual world provides a unique opportunity to teach classical music in an interdisciplinary fashion, the ability to reach out to a population that is hesitant to explore classical music, and a way for reaching out to those who have been disenfranchised by traditional educational paths. This has led to the development of iconography in Second Life that exploits the virtual world’s inherent ability to put seemingly disparate information together in a way that encourages questioning and discussion. But above all, this has led to the conclusion that the importance of human interaction and the Socratic method are the key elements in virtual world education.

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MEANINGS OF WATER FOR THE FAKCHA LLAKTA INDIGENOUS COMMUNITY OF OTAVALO, ECUADOR

Ambiente & sociedade ◽

10.1590/1809-4422asoc0100r3vu18l1ao ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 21 (0) ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

CARMEN AMELIA TRUJILLO ◽

JOSÉ ALÍ MONCADA RANGEL ◽

JESÚS RAMÓN ARANGUREN CARRERA ◽

KENNEDY ROLANDO LOMAS TAPIA

Keyword(s):

Participant Observation ◽

Indigenous Communities ◽

Qualitative Approach ◽

Indigenous Community ◽

Ethnographic Study ◽

Cultural Objects ◽

Sustainable Resource Management ◽

Close Relationship ◽

Andean Highlands ◽

Depth Interviews

Abstract Water is a multidimensional element for the indigenous communities of the Andean highlands. The Kichwa community Fakcha Llakta, of Otavalo, Ecuador has a close relationship with the existing water bodies in their territory. However, traditional knowledge associated with these resources is fading, giving way to new forms of use. The purpose of this research is to reveal the meanings of water for this indigenous community, in order to propose guidelines for sustainable resource management. It is an ethnographic study with a qualitative approach. The information was collected through in-depth interviews, participant observation by the research team, and the gathering of cultural objects. The findings were organized and sub-grouped according to four recurring elements: vital and sacred; diversity of use and value; a threatened natural resource; and the sustainability of water from the ancestral perspective.

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Virtual Worlds Round Table

Journal of Virtual Worlds Research ◽

10.4101/jvwr.v1i3.505 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 1 (3) ◽

Author(s):

Nick Yee ◽

Liz Losh ◽

Sarah Robbins-Bell

Keyword(s):

Virtual Worlds ◽

Second Life ◽

Virtual World ◽

Round Table ◽

State University ◽

Online Journal ◽

Ball State University

By being an online journal, the JVWR allows for the inclusion of some pieces that might not otherwise fit a standard journal. This was the thought behind bringing together a group of virtual world scholars to discuss a series of questions and share their thoughts. Meeting in Second Life, Nick Yee (PARC), Liz Losh (UC Irvine), and Sarah Robbins-Bell (Ball State University) were gracious enough to share their thoughts on the study of virtual worlds culture.

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Digital Guqin Museum from a Virtual World to the Real World : Conception and design of an ongoing cultural sim

Journal of Virtual Worlds Research ◽

10.4101/jvwr.v2i5.776 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 2 (5) ◽

Author(s):

Shuen-git Chow

Keyword(s):

Second Life ◽

Virtual World ◽

Chinese Culture ◽

Mixed Reality ◽

Real Life ◽

Musical Instrument ◽

Good Match ◽

Chinese Music ◽

Place Holder ◽

Informal Settings

This paper provides an overview of the Digital Guqin Museum built in Second Life that provides the user an opportunity to experience and interact with different facets of Chinese culture. The user will find examples of Guquin culture, considered by some to be a place holder for Chinese culture , such as the guqin, a rarely seen musical instrument sometimes confused with the guzheng, a more common popular instrument. Users can see the making of a guqin instrument and listen to guqin music being played, which represents both Chinese music, and more specifically, the guqin music genre - an elegant and quiet music – that might be considered a good match for a virtual world. The Digital Guqin Museam enables participants to play guqin music both in-world and via mixed-reality session, such as the recreation of an online “yaji” – elegant gatherings . This paper questions which groups of Guqin players would be interested and which group would not, and what types of uses might be most engaging . The Digital Guqin Museum in Second Life enables meetings possible only in a virtual world. Real life people could meet in virtual places, visit cities, venues as an end in itself. DGM has been shown to professional guqin players, in informal settings and at a specialists conference.

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