For the first time, it has been possible to show that the adjustment of hedonic rewards, for example by means such as gamification, can affect the nature and utility of solutions individuals create. Degree of an individual perceived enjoyment using a technology, despite the performance consequences. Another answer, however, is that individuals are motivated by instrumental goals (e.g., the motivation to perform certain behaviors). These findings are of research interest, and can be of significant practical interest to producers hoping to benefit from user-developed innovations. One answer, which has been highlighted in emotion-regulation research, is that individuals are motivated by short-term hedonic goals (e.g., the motivation to feel pleasure). When the dominant motive for developing an innovation is the joy of the creative process rather than use value, the utility of what is developed is negatively affected. However, hedonic user motives also have an inverted U-shaped relationship with solution utility. Hedonic motivation was positively related to liking comedies and action films, genres associated with creating interesting or desirable affective states. In contrast, hedonic user motives drive solution novelty the more an innovator is “in it for fun,” the more novel the solution developed.
The major findings of this study are that utilitarian user motives positively affect the utility of user-developed innovations. The theoretical framework integrates self-determination theory and goal-setting theory. This paper shows a first-of-type study to understand the relationship between individual consumers' motives to innovate and the novelty and utility of the solutions they develop.
When individual consumers develop products for their own use, they in part expect to be rewarded by the use value of what they are creating (utilitarian user motives), and in part expect to be rewarded intrinsically by such things as the fun and learning experience derived from creating it (hedonic user motives).