Gamification and its Relevance to Knowledge Management: A Systematic Literature Review

The emergence of digital platforms has brought about a transformation in the landscape of learning and skills enhancement, with gamification playing a crucial role in facilitating the exchange of knowledge. Although the potential of gamification for motivating individuals to share their knowledge has been recognised in recent research, there is a significant gap in the literature. This gap relates to the extensive application and influence of gamification, particularly in the fields of business and higher education. To address it, a comprehensive review of existing literature was undertaken. It aims to explore the use of gamification in the field of Knowledge Management (KM) and to identify the areas that have benefited from gamification. It also sought to scrutinise the specific industries and academic fields that have integrated gamification into their knowledge management sub fields. In addition, the study aimed to compare the similarities and differences in the use of gamification and its impact on KM in the business and higher education sectors. The study involved an in-depth examination of 244 academic articles listed in international citation databases. This literature review provided invaluable insights into the implementation of gamification in various KM sub-fields and its patterns and importance. The results of this study enrich the existing body of knowledge on the intersection of gamification and knowledge management. They provide a solid foundation for subsequent empirical research and also serve as a guide for organisations and institutions to make informed decisions about incorporating gamification into their knowledge management sub-fields. Looking ahead, possible avenues for future research could be to investigate less researched sub-fields of knowledge management, such as knowledge management systems and knowledge workers. Future research could also investigate the lasting effects of gamification on knowledge retention and sharing. Furthermore, it could include the formulation of best practices for the design and execution of gamification strategies for different sub-fields of knowledge management.