Knowledge Map of the Virtual Economy : Converting the Virtual Economy into Development Potential
The report is structured as follows. The next section introduces the theoretical notion of a 'virtual economy' and explains how it is distinct from other Information and Communication Technology (ICT)-related economic activities. The foll...
| Main Authors: | , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Working Paper |
| Language: | English en_US |
| Published: |
World Bank, Washington, DC
2017
|
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/929131468346444204/Plus-knowledge-map-of-the-virtual-economy-converting-the-virtual-economy-into-development-potential http://hdl.handle.net/10986/27361 |
| Summary: | The report is structured as follows. The
next section introduces the theoretical notion of a
'virtual economy' and explains how it is distinct
from other Information and Communication Technology
(ICT)-related economic activities. The following sections
describe in detail the main areas of the virtual economy,
their economic impact, business models and value chains. The
two major areas of the existing virtual economy are
identified as: 1) third party gaming services and 2)
microwork. This report will focus largely on these two
distinct but conceptually related areas. Gaming services is
an established industry that provides a rich set of evidence
for analysis, while microwork is an emerging industry with
apparently significant development potential. Other existing
activities within the virtual economy are categorized as: 3)
marketing related paid-for connections in social media
('cherry blossoming') and 4) user-created virtual
goods in virtual environments. These are not covered in
detail due to their limited development potential, at least
at present. The sixth section analyzes the development
potential of the virtual economy. Development potential is
here understood as the ability to provide income to local
economies through employment and entrepreneurial
opportunities. Both short-run opportunities and long-run
income development are considered. Development potential
also includes the ability to support the development of
local ICT infrastructure. In the final section, the report
summarizes the key findings, identifies important gaps in
current knowledge, and sketches out the scope for possible
donor or Non-Governmental Organization (NGO)-led
interventions towards maximizing the development potential
of the virtual economy. |
|---|