LEVERAGING THE 3D INTERNET FOR ENTREPRENEURIAL PRACTICES:

OPPORTUNITIES FOR CO-CREATION

Lisbeth Frølunde, Roskilde UniversityBjørn-Tore Flåten, University of Agder

Robin Teigland, Stockholm School of Economics

38th European International Business Academy (EIBA) Conference held at the University of Sussex, December, 2012

Present

• Introduction to 3D Internet and approach• Research questions• Research methodology

– Overview of cases in 3 industries• Results• Implications

Social Media

Kilde: Shneor (2011) / Kaplan & Haenlein (2011)

Social Presence/ Media Richness

Low Medium HighHigh Blogs Social Networking

SitesVirtual Social

Worlds

Low Collaborative Projects

Content Communities

Virtual Game Worlds

Self-

pres

enta

tion/

Se

lf-di

sclo

sure

US$ 635,000 for a virtual asteroid!

http://blogs.forbes.com/oliverchiang/2010/11/13/meet-the-man-who-just-made-a-cool-half-million-from-the-sale-of-virtual-property/

• USD 500,000 profit in 5 years by Jon “Neverdie” Jacobs

• Entropia Universe with GDP >USD 440 mln

Teigland 2011

3D Internet becoming mainstream?

Aim

• Address the lack of overview regarding 3D Internet entrepreneurship practices

• Explore the value of enterprises and new technologies

• Gain insights into real challenges faced by entrepreneurs in 3D internet

• Focus on entrepreneurs located in or stemming from the Nordic countries, with global perspectives

Research Question (1)

• The diffusion of innovation (Rogers 2003)

• 3D Internet affordances

• Limited research investigating issues related specifically to innovation and co-design processes using the 3D Internet (Kohler et al., 2009)

RQ1) What affordances do 3D Internet technologies offer as a “space” for entrepreneurial practices?

Research Question (2)• Entrepreneurship is not a purely individualistic practice but

involves a dynamic of social interactions (Drakopoulou Dodd & Anderson, 2007)

• Social networked economy (Benkler 2006)– See entrepreneurship NOT as individualistic practice, but in

dynamics with social networks

RQ 2) How do entrepreneurs utilize their social networks to learn to leverage 3D Internet technologies?

Research Methodology

Research Method Qualitative (Cresswell 1994; Miles and Huberman 1994; Yin 2003)

Data Collection Semi-structured interviews:• 7 unique cases: eight in-depth interviews• All interviews were recorded and transcribed verbatim

Virtual observation• Virtual guided tours, participated in meetings, etc

Document analysis• Online newsletters and news clipping

Data Analysis Within-case analysis• Coding scheme of key themes• Grouped the content – aggregated dimensions• Narrative strategy in writing up the data

Overview of CasesCase Entrepreneur and NationalityMultimedia IndustryMy Avatar and Me

Film co-directed by Mikkel Stolt, Fenris Film & Multimedia ApS, and Bente Milton, Milton Media ApS, DK

Granny’s Dancing on the Table

Cross-media product under development by writer/co-director Hanna Sköld, Tangram Film, SE

Gzim Rewind Film Writer/director Knutte Wester, SE

Healthcare IndustryBE community Researcher and co-developer Mette Terp Høybye, DK/US, leads

project within youth cancer treatment wards at University Hospital Aarhus and University Hospital Copenhagen in connection with partner Sirikata/Katalabs, DK/US

Innovation in Learning

Researcher and co-developer Parvati Dev, IN/US in connection with partners such as Unity Technologies, DK/US

High-tech and Consultancy IndustryKatalabs Developer and CEO Henrik Bennetsen, DK/US develops Sirikata

platform and is connected with Google’s network of entrepreneurial developers working with new Chrome browser. (Katalabs cooperates with Mette Terp Høybye, DK/US, on BE Community project.)

Grönstedt Group Developer and consultant Anders Grönstad, SE/US, and his company use the latest information and communication technologies to train professionals.

ResultsRQ1) What affordances do 3D Internet technologies offer as a “space” for entrepreneurial practices?

• Flexibility– Open access and unrestricted development– Concerns with respect to business models and control issues

• Simulation– Simulate activities (e.g. training and education)– Training in an engaging and immersive manner– Concerns with respect to lack of sense of immersion

• Visualization– Interactive visuals and models– Multiple environments across media platforms

Results

RQ 2) How do entrepreneurs utilize their social networks to learn to leverage 3D Internet technologies?

• Social networks important for the acquisition of knowledge and other resources, such as human capital, reputation, access to networks, and customers, necessary for value creation by the entrepreneur.

Discussion and Implications• 3D Internet affordances of flexibility, simulation, and visualization

enable the process of co-creation within an entrepreneur’s social networks (Hoyer et al., 2010; Jeppesen and Frederiksen 2006; Kohler et al., 2009)

• Web 2.0 influencing the boundaries of the firm (Haefliger et al., 2011; von Krogh and Haefliger 2010)

• New business models

• Challenges with respect to legal issues, steep learning curve, lack of common design elements, cross-cultural communication, and instability of new technologies

Limitations

• Designers of the technology as the primary source

• Need for further theoretical development• Include issues related to motivation and

governance of new business models

Lisbeth Frølunde, Roskilde UniversityBjørn-Tore Flåten, University of Agder

Robin Teigland, Stockholm School of Economics

38th European International Business Academy (EIBA) Conference held at the University of Sussex, December, 2012

THANK YOU