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立 政 治 大 學
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CHAPTER 3. METHODOLOGY
3.1 Research Framework
The objective of the proposed research will be to gain insight into the ways in which design elements of location-based gamification may affect brand experience, and to determine whether the brand experience created by location-based gamification influences brand loyalty. In chapter2, there are many cases of gamification and the analysis of the eleven gamification by using the eight elements in Table 4. This study chose ChengChi Adventure to be the research target because the gamification contains the eight elements and is the pioneer of location-based gamification in Taiwan.
Table 4. Analysis of gamification cases
Aesthetics Dynamics
ESC COP FAN REC SOC COMP SKI LOC
The Monster V V V V V V
Unlock007 in you V V V V V
Tipp-Ex V V V V V V
Decode Jay-Z V V V V V
Foursquare + Starbucks V V V V V V V
NIKE+ V V V V V V
Voda Fone V V V V V V V V
Mini Cooper V V V V V V V
iButterfly V V V V V V V
New Balance V V V V V V
ChengChi Adventure V V V V V V V V
3.2 The ChengChi Adventure app
ChengChi Adventure were designed to upgrade users’ brand loyalty by playing the gamification and experiencing the NCCU. ChengChi Adventure app virtualized and redesigned the campus geographical environment as a similar but more magic one in the gamification through the mobile devices. Players were forced to arrive the specific locations for entering the stages. It is a gamification that could induce players to visit the NCCU and have new feelings or memories about NCCU.
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立 政 治 大 學
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N a tio na
l C h engchi U ni ve rs it y
Figure 1. Game Screen 1
Figure 2. Game Screen 2
3.4 Prototype Design
The research objective will be to empirically test the hypothesized relationships between the design elements of location-based gamification, brand experience and brand loyalty. The hypotheses are summarized in Figure 3.
Means-end theory is be referenced for designing the study. Means-end theory digs deeper into the psyche of consumers to determine the emotional triggers that actually drive their decisions. Means-end is a rigorous research method that employs the laddering interviewing technique. It is used to uncover the underlying emotions, consequences, and personal values that drive consumer choice. It is a hybrid of qualitative and quantitative research approaches. In this study, design element are
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similar to the functional consequence of means-end value chain, brand experience are similar to psychological consequence of means-end value chain and the brand loyalty is similar to the value of means-end value chain.
The measures for the design elements of location-based gamification are adapted from Demetrovics et al. (2011) and Sotamaa (2002). The measures used for the four dimensions of brand experience are adapted from Brakus, Schmitt & Zarantonello (2009). The measures of brand loyalty are adapted from Jacoby and Chestnut (1978), Bennett and Rundle-Thiele (2004) and Chiou and Droge (2006). All of the survey items will be measured on a seven-point interval scale. (Tables 5: construct definition and measurement source)
To test the conceptual framework, data will be collected on the users’
experiences by questionnaire to verify the hypotheses. All of the subjects will have experienced t experiment processes before they fill out their questionnaires. An expected 300 surveys will be collected. To ensure the clarity and suitability of the questionnaire items, 30 pre-test questionnaires will be sent to obtain the subjects’
opinions of the questionnaire. After discussing and editing any unsuitable content, the formal questionnaire survey will be undertaken.
Figure 3. Research model
Table 5. Definition of design elements on location-based gamification, brand experience and brand loyalty
Location-Based Gamification
Escape Enables users to leave reality. Demetrovics, Urbán, Nagygyörgy, Farkas, Zilahy, Mervó &
Harmath, 2011 Coping Helps users to cope with real
problems and manage negative moods.
Fantasy Enables users to step out of their usual identities.
Skill
Development
Improves users’ coordination or other skills.
Recreation Provides relaxation and enjoyment.
Competition Enables users to compete with or defeat others to obtain a sense of
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Social Enables users to get to know, interact and play games with others.
Location-based Requires player to physically move; to search for certain “hot-spots” or to find or avoid other players.
Visual, auditory, tactile, gustative, and olfactory stimuli provided by a brand.
Brakus, Schmitt &
Zarantonello, 2009
Affective
Brand Experience
Feelings elicited by a brand and consumers’ emotional connection to a brand.
Intellectual Brand Experience
Curiosity or intellectual activity stimulated by a brand.
Behavioral Brand Experience
Physical experience, lifestyle and interaction with a brand.
Brand Loyalty
Behavioral Brand Loyalty
Inclination to repurchase or recommend.
A degree of dispositional commitment to the brand.
Chiou & Droge, 2006
3.3 Data Collection and Experiment Process
Quasi-experimental design would be used in this study for better controlling the criterion for assignment and making this study be more convincing (Martyn, 2008 ; Shadish, Cook & Cambell, 2002). Otherwise quasi-experiments are chosen by experimenters because they maximize internal and external validity. (DeRue, Nahrgang, Hollenbeck, & Workman,2012)
First, this study controls that all subjects are students and haven’t studied in NCCU. It also means that subjects in this experiment are approaching the brand and would have chance to choose the brand. Second, all subjects experience the same Experimental processes, orders and stages. Third, subjects are new to NCCU and experience the app for the first time. Fourth, subjects use the devices prepared by researchers with similar level.
This paper describes a study surveying users’ responses to the elements of
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location-based gamification and their opinions of the potential influence of the elements on brand experience and brand loyalty. The experiment announcement will be posted on the BBS and FB societies to recruit participants who match conditions.
Before their responses are surveyed, subjects should experience the experimental processes of ChengChi Adventure.
When subjects arrive the meeting room, they should full fill the pretest part of the questionnaire and make sure that they have functional devices for the following experiment. Experiment explanation around ten minutes will be started after subjects in the same stage arrive. After the explanation, subjects will start the adventure at the starting point – NCCU gate with experiment holders’ accompany. In the experiment, subjects will experience four stages which are in different location in NCCU and subjects will approximately spend ten minutes in each stage. After conquering four appointed stages, subjects will be leaded to the meeting classroom for fulfilling the experimental questionnaires.
3.5 Data Analysis Method
Data analysis are supposed to use two-step approach method for data analysis in order to establish the reliability and validity of the measures before assessing the structural relationship of the model (Anderson & Gerbing, 1988). The first step involves the analysis of the measurement model while the second step tests the
structural relationships among the latent constructs. SmartPLS 2.0 was used because it allows latent constructs to be modeled as formative or reflective indicators. SmartPLS 2.0 places minimal restrictions on the measurement scales, sample size, and residual distribution.
And there are pretesting questions about brand loyalty for participants before they play ChengChi Adventure. Those same questions about brand loyalty will be done again by subjects after they experience the ChengChi Adventure. The study will use the pre and post-test data about brand loyalty to do two-sample t-test for paired data. The survey instruments will be used primarily to measure the influence of the design elements of location-based gamification on brand experience and brand loyalty, and to test the hypotheses regarding the relationships between location-based gamification design elements, brand experience and brand loyalty. In addition, the questionnaire was developed for study purposes, attained in accordance with a literature review, and resulted from repeated discussions and corrections. Thus, the questionnaire possessed content validity.
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