Title: Customer relationships, information technology and concerns for violence in video-gaming materials

Authors: Alan D. Smith

Addresses: Department of Management and Marketing, Robert Morris University, Pittsburgh, PA 15219-3099, USA

Abstract: As technology increases customer|s abilities to play video games almost anywhere, from laptops, telephones, to PDAs, the number of video-gaming titles has grown exponentially and, some have suggested, with little regulation as to violence content. As computer graphics become more pronounced and realistic, audiences are demanding on excitement in their video-gaming materials. Through a relatively large sample of working professionals located in Pittsburgh, PA (N = 249), cluster and factor analyses isolated the specific contributions of each component in hypothesis testing, with a factor-based dependent variable of violent-content of video-gaming materials. Not surprisingly, only one factor-based construct (ESRB-rating influence) was not found to statistically related to the dependent variable. The moral responsibility, gaming sophistication, video-influence and advertisement factor-based constructs were found to be statistically significant, suggesting that there is need for customers to more fully understand the ratings and appropriate maturity needed on the part of customers to regulate the type of audiences that should view the video materials.

Keywords: CRM; customer relationship management; Entertainment Software Rating Board; ESRB; USA; United States; social responsibility; violence; video gaming industry; ICT; information technology; communications technology; cell phones; mobile phones; video games; laptops; telephones; social concerns; PDAs; personal digital assistants; palmtops; computers; leisure; regulation; computer graphics; excitement; working professionals; Pittsburgh; cluster analysis; factor analysis; hypothesis testing; factor-based dependent variables; classification; factor-based constructs; moral responsibility; gaming sophistication; video influence; advertisements; advertising; marketing; ratings; audiences; maturity; retailer responsibilities; manufacturer responsibility; retailing.

DOI: 10.1504/IJMIE.2010.033460

International Journal of Management in Education, 2010 Vol.4 No.3, pp.233 - 258

Published online: 02 Jun 2010 *

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