By now, you probably have heard of Second Life, the popular 3D virtual world that allows its residents to live, interact, buy/sell, and collaborate all under a virtual identity. Where these residents lived, real-world companies have been experimenting too. In my research with Dr. Bill Judge, we have seen more than 50 of the Global Fortune 500 companies who have established an official presence in Second Life. We spoke with some of these companies to find out what drove them to Second Life, how they use it, and how they have benefited from it. Here is a quick summary of what we found:
1. Why Companies Enter Second Life?
Most of the companies we surveyed/interviewed entered SL in 2006. The decision to enter SL varied from an innovative mentality to jumping onto the wagon under competitive pressure. Usually, an individual or a small team of employees were personally involved in SL at first, and they eventually became champions within the company. Interestingly, European companies’ decision to enter SL were driven more by potential for media exposure rather than by the actual functionality or use of the virtual world itself, suggesting important cross-cultural differences in corporate innovation.
2. What Companies Use Second Life for?
Below are six ways the companies have been using SL, ranked by their popularity. The list makes it obvious that communication and learning represent important uses of SL.
3. How Do Companies Benefit from Second Life?
Most companies considered their SL venture to be worthwhile, although only one-third of them acknowledged realizing financial gains. Here is a list of the benefits companies believe they have received from their SL presence, ranked from most-often mentioned to least mentioned:
What do you think about these findings? Has your company ever experimented with Second Life? I’d love to hear about your experience.