Changing the game: a case for gamifying knowledge management

Purpose: This exploratory paper investigates gamification as a medium for knowledge workers to interact with each other. The paper aims to open the discussion around the sustaining impact that gamification might have on knowledge management. Design/methodology/approach: The paper employs an exploratory literature review investigating the current state of the art in relation to knowledge management and gamification; this literature review serves as the starting point of subsequent theorizing. Findings: Based on the literature review we theorize that the use of gamification in knowledge management can go far beyond the motivational aspects. To name just a few uses of gamification, it can help in: supporting flexibility, facilitating transparency and therefore improving trust, visualizing skills and competences as well as generating requirements for new competences, and promoting a collaborative environment among the knowledge workers. Research limitations/implications: This paper opens the discussion around knowledge management and gamification and suggests a wide range of areas for further research. Practical implications: In this paper we argue that by looking at gamification as more than just a set of tools for improving motivation and engagement a company can address some pitfalls of a particular type of knowledge workers. Originality/value: Gamification is a new, but increasingly popular approach, which has been shown to be to be powerful in many areas. This paper is novel in that it initiates a dialogue around the impact that gamification might have on knowledge management.