نوع مقاله : علمی - پژوهشی
نویسندگان
1 گروه مدیریت کسب و کار دانشکده معارف اسلامی و مدیریت، دانشگاه امام صادق (ع)، تهران، ایران
2 دانش آموخته کارشناسی ارشد مدیریت بازرگانی دانشگاه امام صادق (ع)
3 دانشیار گروه ارتباطات اجتماعی، دانشکده علوم اجتماعی، دانشگاه تهران، ایران
چکیده
کلیدواژهها
موضوعات
عنوان مقاله [English]
نویسندگان [English]
Introduction
In the current digital age, computer games have become a pervasive form of entertainment involving significant time and financial investments from families. According to DIREC (2024), over 34 million Iranians are active gamers, with children forming a substantial portion. Understanding this group’s consumption behavior is crucial for parents, policymakers, and industry players. However, existing literature often focuses on adult audiences or behavioral outcomes (e.g., addiction), neglecting the complex decision-making process children undergo from need recognition to game acquisition. This gap is particularly pronounced in Iran due to unique cultural, economic, and structural characteristics, such as prominent parental mediation, intense peer influence, and specific market barriers like international sanctions. Therefore, the primary problem is the lack of a comprehensive, indigenous model explaining how Iranian children navigate these factors. This study aims to fill this gap by developing a multifaceted conceptual model using systematic grounded theory to identify the process and key factors influencing computer game purchase decisions by Iranian children.
Methods
This study employed a qualitative approach using systematic Grounded Theory (Strauss & Corbin, 2015). Data were collected through 18 semi-structured in-depth interviews with three main groups in Tehran, Mashhad, and Ahvaz: 1) Iranian children aged 7 to 13 with active gaming experience (n=8); 2) Mothers involved in their children’s gaming decisions (n=3); and 3) Game sellers and game-net managers (n=7). Sampling began purposively to ensure maximum variation and continued with theoretical sampling until saturation. Data analysis involved three stages of open, axial, and selective coding using constant comparative method. Rigor was ensured through prolonged engagement, peer debriefing, and data source triangulation.
Results
The systematic analysis revealed a core category titled “Child-centered Multifaceted Navigation in Game Purchase Decision-making: The Intersection of Individual, Familial, Social, and Commercial Factors in the Iranian Market.” The model illustrates a dynamic process comprising six dimensions:
Causal Conditions: Triggered by internal needs (fun, challenge, social connection) and external stimuli, notably peer influence and game-related media exposure (streamers/YouTubers).
Core Phenomenon: The child engages in multi-criteria evaluation of game’s intrinsic attractiveness (genre, graphics, localization), fit with skills, and feasibility (platform compatibility, price).
Contextual Conditions: The process occurs within the child’s individual characteristics (age, gender, media literacy), socio-cultural environment (family dynamics, peer norms), and economic conditions (family budget, pocket money).
Intervening Conditions: Situational factors include technical infrastructure (internet quality), active parental mediation (rules on content, time, finance), and Iran’s market barriers (sanctions, need for intermediaries/gift cards, pirated versions).
Strategies/Actions: Children employ active strategies such as targeted information search (relying on peers and online reviews), cost-benefit assessment, and active negotiation with parents to manage constraints.
Consequences: Outcomes range from game acquisition (or failure) to experiential emotions (satisfaction/dissatisfaction), learning for future decisions, and social/familial impacts.
Conclusion
The study provides a context-specific model demonstrating that game selection for Iranian children is not a linear choice but multifaceted navigation where the child is the central actor but heavily constrained by parental mediation and structural market barriers. A key theoretical contribution is identifying indigenous categories such as Active Negotiation Patterns and Specific Iranian Market Barriers, absent in classical models. Practical implications suggest urgent need for enhanced media literacy programs for parents to move from restrictive to active mediation. For developers, findings highlight the critical value of high-quality localization (Persian language and cultural fit) as a key differentiator. Policymakers are advised to address infrastructure challenges and facilitate legal access to reduce reliance on informal markets.
Ethical Considerations
Participants’ informed consent was obtained, and their anonymity and confidentiality were strictly maintained.
Funding
There is no funding support for this article.
Authors’ Contribution
The specific contributions of each author are detailed in the separate Title Page file to ensure a blind review process.
Conflict of Interest
Authors declared no conflict of interest.
Acknowledgments
The authors express sincere gratitude to all children, parents, and sellers who generously shared their experiences for this research.
کلیدواژهها [English]
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