Class4 HW2 Video Games: More Than A Game

The IBM reports pose very powerful and interesting questions promoting the idea that games show 'glimpse' of how the global leaders are formed. It not only hints about the next leaders, but the next era of business and global networks. The first article starts with focusing on how MMORPGs (Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game) reflect the business forms more than we imagine. First, the leader characters in online games show similar traits as the corporate leaders in terms of taking more risks, admitting failure, and trying to improve on the results. These are the common traits of the online game leaders that may be applicable in corporate environment too.

                                          Call of Duty

                                          GTA

Another interesting report from the article was that according to the IBM's survey, nearly 50% of the people in their gaming communities stated that playing game actually helps them with the real world situations, and 40% stated that they are actually trying to use the game playing experience into their working environment to help their efficiency. Moreover, the report further explains MMORPG in detail to help the readers understand how more specifically the games are related to real world situations, and how they might help in real world situations.

For example, in these games, each person creates his/her own online avatar that he/she gives the personality of own, and play by their rules trying to achieve certain goals. Here, it could be seen that the online character has to stick to the rules of the game, and try to solve problems to achieve the directed goals. In the process, people would join with other parties or meet other people online and form a community, and learn how to communicate effectively among them. During this process, the role of leadership also comes. For instance, if there is a party formed to achieve a goal together in the game, that party leader would lead the community in the virtual world, which certainly does have connection with real world leadership traits.

GTA Poster

Moreover, the report argues that although the leadership traits mostly appear intrinsically in the real world, the leadership emerges as the result of the environment in MMORPGs. It comes easier and quicker in the virtual world, because it primarily depends on the capabilities of the online character. Thus, once had such capabilities online, it is possible to convert such traits in real world situations, thus, learning from the game and improving on reality leadership, and such skills acquired may well be used in corporate settings since they require similar traits. Thus, it adds to the argument that leadership may be learned upon having the right environment.

Interestingly, the articles also imply that MMORPGs may reflect the direction for the future for the corporates. First, the gaming world is very similar to today's business industries in a way that it is "highly distributed, global, hyper-competitive, and virtual". Thus, in these gaming world, the leaders are committed to the tasks such as recruiting, organising, and leading a group which are similar to real world situations. Therefore, it reflects the future of the real world leaders.

http://IBM.com
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