Significance of Communication and E-Business in Second Life Virtual World

Second Life is an online 3D virtual world imagined and created by its residents. Virtual world is a computer based simulated environment where avatars can communicate each other through different communication media. The aim of the current study is to investigate why individual and companies communicate in Second Life virtual world and opportunities of e-business. The most common communication media in Second Life are voice, instant messaging and video conferencing. The major theoretical background used in this study was the communication theory and social systems, theory of intrinsic motivation and word of mouth communication. Success story of some real world companies and experiences of business professionals in Second Life were included in this study. Video conferencing was the choice of real world companies to conduct online business events. Initial capital investment, sufficient time engagement and quality of products were equally important in Second Life as in real world. Moreover, advertising, customer relation, after sales service and consumer traffic are mandatory for e-business promotion. The findings provided that communication in virtual environment plays a crucial role for social networking and growth of real world business. The communication in real world has significance to policy makers, managers and leaders for information sharing and decision making.

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