LEVERAGING THE 3D INTERNET FOR ENTREPRENEURIAL PRACTICES: OPPORTUNITIES FOR CO-CREATION

1. LEVERAGING THE 3D INTERNET FOR ENTREPRENEURIAL PRACTICES: OPPORTUNITIES FOR CO-CREATION LisbethFrølunde, Roskilde University Bjørn-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

2. Present • Introduction to 3D Internet and approach • Research questions • Research methodology • Overview of cases in 3 industries • Results • Implications

3. Social Media Self-presentation/ Self-disclosure Kilde: Shneor (2011) / Kaplan & Haenlein (2011)

4. US$ 635,000 for a virtual asteroid! • USD 500,000 profit in 5 years by Jon “Neverdie” Jacobs • Entropia Universe with GDP >USD 440 mln http://blogs.forbes.com/oliverchiang/2010/11/13/meet-the-man-who-just-made-a-cool-half-million-from-the-sale-of-virtual-property/ Teigland 2011

5. 3D Internet becoming mainstream?

6. 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

7. 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?

8. 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?

9. Research Methodology

10. Overview of Cases

11. Results RQ1) 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

12. 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.

13. 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

14. 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

15. THANK YOU LisbethFrølunde, Roskilde University Bjørn-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