Culture of participation

Culture of participation encourages consumers and fans to participate actively in the creation and distribution of newly created content. In the 90 'of the twentieth century people often stressed the impact of interactive media technologies on forming of the culture.

Today, a culture of participation can be observed, where advertisers, games, media producers, network executives, bloggers show a very high activity in the creation of consumer culture.

Culture of participation vs traditional media

Defining the culture of participation led to the emergence of a strong contrast in comparison to earlier beliefs about the role of the media. The passive attitude of the media audience is not obvious today. Earlier also people clearly distinguished the role of consumer and producer. Under the influence of culture of participation of these boundaries are blurred. It is rather said of the interaction of these two entities (producers and consumers).

Interactions vary, because not all participants are equal. Corporations still have more power in comparison with consumers. Consumers also differentiate their participation, often because of different skills (some people do not have them at all, others have outstanding).

Examples of culture of participation

Underlying the emergence of a culture of participation is, according to H. Jenkins' s Web 2.0 technology. Web 2.0 Internet services are created primarily by users of the service. Formation of many Web 2.0 sites occurred after year 2001. There occurs contact between various kinds of subcultures, fan communities and other cultural participation.

YouTube site gives the opportunity for amateur content to compete with commercial. Users rate, comment on, pay attention to detail (often funny, embarrassing mistakes are spotted). After that content is becoming widely known, thanks to user activity.

See also:

• Uncertainty avoidance
• Corporate culture
• Determinants of culture

Advantages of Culture of participation

A culture of participation offers several advantages for both producers and consumers of content. These include:

• Increased Engagement: By taking part in the creation and distribution of content, consumers are more likely to be engaged with the products and services they are using. This leads to higher levels of customer satisfaction and loyalty.
• Increased Creativity: Involving consumers in the creation of content often leads to more creative and innovative products, as consumers are able to bring new ideas and perspectives to the process.
• Improved Efficiency: By involving consumers in the production process, companies can save time and money by relying on the insights and feedback of their customers. This can help reduce costs and speed up the development of new products and services.
• Greater Reach: By involving consumers in the creation and distribution of content, companies can more easily reach new customers and expand their reach. This can lead to increased sales and higher levels of brand recognition.

Limitations of Culture of participation

A culture of participation can be limited in several ways:

• Lack of digital literacy: Without an understanding of the technology, people may be unable to participate effectively in these new forms of media.
• Access to technology: People with limited access to technology may be excluded from participating in this culture.
• Socioeconomic disparities: People with lower incomes may not have the same access to technology or internet access as those with higher incomes.
• Lack of motivation: People may be reluctant to participate in these new forms of media if they don't feel motivated to do so.
• Fear of the unknown: People may be hesitant to use or engage with technologies or services they are unfamiliar with.
• Time constraints: People may not have the time or resources to devote to participating in this culture.

Other approaches related to Culture of participation

Other approaches to the Culture of Participation include:

• Crowdsourcing: This approach allows companies to outsource tasks to a large group of people, often referred to as a "crowd", to complete a project quickly and efficiently.
• Co-creation: This allows customers to participate in the process of creating products and services, giving them a sense of ownership and helping to build a stronger connection with the brand.
• User-Generated Content (UGC): This involves the sharing of content created by users of a particular platform, such as social media or online forums.
• Social Media Activation: This encourages users to engage with a brand or product through social media, by commenting, liking and sharing content.
• Gamification: This approach uses game elements, such as points, badges and rewards, to drive engagement and motivate users to participate in activities.

In summary, other approaches to the Culture of Participation include crowdsourcing, co-creation, user-generated content, social media activation, and gamification. All of these approaches encourage users to be active participants in the creation and distribution of content.

Culture of participation — recommended articles

Affinity marketing — Diffusion of innovations — Social media principles — Marketing innovation — Incentive marketing — Buzz marketing — Influencer marketing strategy — Customer loyalty — Network effect

References

• Deuze, M. (2006). Participation, remediation, bricolage: Considering principal components of a digital culture. The information society, 22(2), 63-75.
• Green, J., & Jenkins, H. (2009). The moral economy of Web 2.0: audience research and convergence culture. Media industries: History, theory, and method, 213-225.
• Jelin, E. (1998). Towards a culture of participation and citizenship: challenges for a more equitable world (pp. 405-414). na.
• Jenkins, H., & Deuze, M. (2008). Convergence culture. CONVERGENCE-LONDON-, 14(1), 5.
• Martins, E., Pundt, A., Horsmann, C. S., & Nerdinger, F. W. (2008). Organizational culture of participation: Development and validation of a measure. Zeitschrift für Personalforschung/German Journal of Research in Human Resource Management, 195-215.
• Sewell, W. R. (1976). Culture of Participation in Environmental Decisionmaking, The. Nat. Resources J., 16, 1.