Gameful affordance management for engagement and retention (GAMER) framework: organizational practices to manage consumer affordances in gamified services

Abstract

Purpose A gap between theory and practice in managing gamified services can hinder consumer engagement and retention. A practice lens is used to identify affordance-centered organizational practices and provide insights into how these practices manage gameful affordances for sustained engagement and consumer retention in gamified services. Design/methodology/approach Executives at 16 different organizations involved in decision-making related to the design of gamified sport and entertainment services were interviewed. A midrange scheme approach was used to conduct a reflexive thematic analysis, resulting in the generation of themes, a narrative description and the development of a framework. Findings Organizations engage in four affordance-centered organizational practices – torture gap testing, community building, novel experience management and need treadmill generation – to manage gameful affordance for sustained engagement and consumer retention in gamified services. These practices emerge from ongoing sensemaking processes and reflect how organizations strategically manage consumers' affordances through the orchestration of game design elements. Originality/value A Gameful Affordance Management for Engagement and Retention (GAMER) framework for gamified services is developed to (1) bridge the gap between theoretical understanding of factors' influencing consumer engagement and retention outcomes in gamified services and practices undertaken by organizations to achieve these outcomes and (2) highlight the interconnected and iterative affordance-centered organizational practices that are a interlinked with practitioners' sensemaking processes. The framework offers actionable insights to practitioners wanting to build a loyal consumer base for their gamified service.