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2026/2027  BA-BSEMO2582U  Gamification

English Title
Gamification

Course information
Language English
Course ECTS 7.5 ECTS
Type Mandatory
Level Bachelor
Duration One Quarter
Start time of the course Second Quarter
Timetable Course schedule will be posted at calendar.cbs.dk
Study board
Study Board for Service and Markets
Programme Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and Service Management
Course coordinator
  • Stina Teilmann-Lock - Department of Business Humanities and Law (BHL)
Main academic disciplines
  • Innovation
  • Service management
  • Sociology
Teaching methods
  • Face-to-face teaching
Last updated on 23-06-2026

Relevant links
Learning objectives
To achieve the grade 12, the student should meet the following learning objectives with no or only minor mistakes or errors:
  • Demonstrate an understanding of gamification and the structures that shape it
  • Select and apply relevant theories, concepts and models to analyze gamification in service management
  • Identify and critically analyze the characteristics, advantages and pitfalls of gamification through different perspectives
  • Demonstrate understanding of game design principles by contributing to the development of a gamification prototype
Examination
Gamification:
Exam ECTS 7,5
Examination form Oral exam
Individual or group exam Individual exam
Duration 20 min. per student, including examiners' discussion of grade, and informing plus explaining the grade
Preparation time No preparation
Grading scale 7-point grading scale
Examiner(s) Internal examiner and external examiner
Exam period Winter
Make-up exam/re-exam
Same examination form as the ordinary exam
Description of the exam procedure

Exam description:

The exam is an oral examination covering the topics and texts we have dealt with during the course. The students will start by presenting a reflection on the student’s gamification prototype group project, and their reflection journal on their interaction with gamified experiences, connecting it with the concepts of the course, and being asked follow-up questions.  

To prepare for the exam, we suggest the students to review the texts, slides and case studies to get a full overview of themes and topics.  
Course content, structure and pedagogical approach

From fitness apps to workplace productivity incentives, from language learning to customer retention strategies, gamification seems to be an almost ubiquitous part of our society, especially in the highly digitalized context of service management. Initially devised to promote better engagement with tedious tasks by adding layers of game mechanics to them, practices of gamification have grown into their own as widespread forms of behavioral nudging that are, almost ironically, even being applied to games themselves. 

 

In the context of service management, gamification can be considered from many different aspects. On the one side, game developers, which are themselves part of the service industry, can be both developer of gamification services or even have their products subjected to gamification mechanics; on the other side, companies might consider whether using gamification strategies might be a way to boost user engagements with their products or services, or whether their human resources could be better mobilized through the gamified processes in the workplace; and finally, the success of these initiatives will fully depend on whether the users of these gamified mechanics will engage with the gamified aspects as intended, or show indifference or even rejection and resistance to them.  

 

In this course, students will critically engage with basic concepts of games and gamification, in order to better understand the foundations, uses and reservations to the use of gamification in a service management context. This will be done through the engagement with different uses of gamification, exploration of the different stakeholders involved, and the development of their own gamification prototype. 

 

The course will cover (on an introductary and intermediary level)

  • Gamification as a concept and practice for organizations from different perspectives and sectors 

  • How to identify, observe and analyse gamification from the perspectives of game developers, organizations employing gamification and users 

  • How to prototype and test gamification strategies 

 

By the end of the course, students will 

  • Develop an awareness of the main tools and techniques related to gamification 

  • Apply theories and frameworks to critically analyse the possibilities and limitations of applying gamification in service management  

  • Design and test a working prototype of gamification 
Research-based teaching
CBS’ programmes and teaching are research-based. The following types of research-based knowledge and research-like activities are included in this course:
Research-based knowledge
  • Classic and basic theory
  • New theory
  • Models
Research-like activities
  • Discussion, critical reflection, modelling
  • Peer review including Peer-to-peer
  • Activities that contribute to new or existing research projects
Description of the teaching methods
Description of the teaching methods

This course involves lectures, case discussions, experimentation with games and gamified activities, as well as hands-on workshops leading to prototyping their own gamification strategy.

Lectures will cover relevant theories and concepts, as well as case studies and gamification activities
Workshops will facilitate working with the lecture’s concepts by interaction with gamification, as well as designing and building them.
Students will work in groups to design a prototype of a gamification strategy
Group activities will encourage participation and real-world problem-solving
Through the course’s experiences, students will critically reflect on the development, implementation, and reception of gamification within a service management perspective.
Feedback during the teaching period
Feedback during the teaching period:

Students will receive feedback in multiple ways:

During lectures, through interaction with the teacher
During workshops, which are in a studio format
From other students as peer-to-peer feedback
During the prototyping workshops, in groups.
Student workload
Regular class sessions 38 hours
Readings 127 hours
Other preparation prior to class 20 hours
Preparation for and participation in the exam 30 hours
Expected literature

Expected Literature:  

 

Schell, J. (2019). The Art of Game Design: A Book of Lenses, Third Edition (3rd ed.). A K Peters/CRC Press. https:/​/​doi.org/​10.1201/​b22101 (selected chapters) 

 

Hon, A. (2022). You’ve Been Played: How Corporations, Governments and Schools Use Games to Control Us. Basic Books. (selected chapters) 

 

McGonigal, J. (2011). Reality is broken: Why games make us better and how they can change the world. Penguin. (selected chapters) 

 

Masser, K., Mory, L. (2018). The Gamification of Citizens’ Participation in Policymaking. Springer. (selected chapters) 

 

Hammedi, W., Leclercq, T., & Steils, N. (2024). Gamification Myopia: Satiation Effects in Gamified Activities. Journal of Service Research : JSR, 27(2), 213–230. https:/​/​doi.org/​10.1177/​10946705231190873 

 

Silva, J; Mendes, G., Teixeira, J.; Braatz, D. (2023) Gamification in the customer journey: a conceptual model and future research opportunities. Journal of Service Theory and Practice, Vol 33, No.3. DOI 10.1108/​JSTP-07-2022-0142 

 

Krath, J.; Schürmann, L.; Von Korflesch, H. (2021) Revealing the theoretical basis of gamification: A systematic review and analysis of theory in research on gamification, serious games and game-based learning. Computers in Human Behavior.  

 

Deterding, S., Dixon, D., Khaled, R., & Nacke, L. (2015). From game design elements to gamefulness:Defining gamification. MIS Quarterly, 39(1), 137–154. 

 

Xi, N., & Hamari, J. (2020). Does gamification affect brand engagement and equity? A study inonline brand communities. Journal of Business Research, 109, 449–460 

 

 

 
Last updated on 23-06-2026