The Lead User Influence in Online Communities – A Gaming Community Example

Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)

• 1. Introduction.
• 2. Background........
  • 2.1 Motivation....
  • 2.2 Internet Economy.
    • 2.2.1 Online Communities......
    • 2.2.2 Network Effects
    • 2.2.3 Critical Mass
    • 2.2.4 Lead User...
  • 2.3 Gaming Market.
    • 2.3.1 Historical Evolution
    • 2.3.2 Gaming Communities...........
  • 2.4 Design of an Online Gaming Community
• 3. Approach.....
  • 3.1 Operationalization and Measurement Instruments
  • 3.2 Online Survey
    • 3.2.1 Survey Items and Inventory.....
    • 3.2.2 Conceptual Design of the Online Questionnaire
    • 3.2.3 Technical Implementation
• 4. Analysis
  • 4.1 Online Questionnaire.…….........
  • 4.2 Statistical Analysis
  • 4.3 Results of the Lead User Influence.......
• 5. Discussion...
  • 5.1 Scientific Discussion about the Approach .....
  • 5.2 Empirical Results and Implementation.
  • 5.3 Further Scientific Opportunities
• 6. Conclusion and Future Work.....
  • 6.1 Conclusion
  • 6.2 Outlook.

Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)

This diploma thesis examines the influence of lead users in online communities, specifically focusing on the example of a gaming community. The work aims to understand the needs of gamers and identify the significant influence of lead users on the gaming market.

• The impact of the internet on the economy and the emergence of online communities
• The concept of lead users and their influence on market evolution
• The needs and behavior of gamers within online communities
• The potential for online gaming communities to benefit from lead user influence
• The development and implementation of an online gaming community

Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)

• Chapter 1 provides a general introduction to the topic of lead users and their influence on online communities.
• Chapter 2 delves into the background of the research, exploring the internet economy, online communities, network effects, critical mass, and the gaming market. It discusses the historical evolution of gaming and the significance of gaming communities.
• Chapter 3 outlines the approach used in the research, including the operationalization and measurement instruments, the online survey, and its design and technical implementation.
• Chapter 4 presents the analysis of the data collected through the online questionnaire, including statistical analysis and the results of the lead user influence.

Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)

The primary focus of this work lies on the influence of lead users in online gaming communities. Key themes and concepts include internet economy, online communities, network effects, critical mass, lead users, gaming market, gaming communities, online surveys, and statistical analysis. The research provides valuable insights into the needs of gamers, the importance of lead user influence, and the potential for developing successful online gaming communities.