Esports development ecosystem in Hong Kong: an application of a systems thinking literacy approach

ABSTRACT

Academic debates have focused on whether esports should be classified as sport. To contribute to building a healthier esports industry, this study developed a holistic framework for examining the strengths and weaknesses of esports development in Hong Kong with a systems thinking literacy approach. By applying a systems thinking literacy approach, the ecosystem framework considered the interactions between the six macro systems: the technological system, social system, policy and legal system, education system, nongovernmental organisations system, and economic system (specifically, the esports industry). Hong Kong has a competitive advantage in information and communications technology infrastructure and a strong potential market for esports, but needs to improve the social image of esports, to implement policies to support the industry, to strengthen the education system, and to address a series of industry issues. Implications on esports ecosystem at international level are also discussed.

KEYWORDS:

• Esports
• ecosystem
• industry
• a systems thinking literacy approach
• Hong Kong

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

1. Envisioning transitions refer to the first step of beginning an investigation on sustainability issues from multiple stakeholder perspectives, resulting in a collective creation of plausible and normative visions for future states.

2. Implementing transitions refer to the second step of taking coordinated actions at all levels of governance, including multiple sectors and stakeholders.

3. Evaluating transitions refer to the last step of making evaluation of all choices, operational targets, policy instruments and the effects.

4. IASS comprises Elite Training Grant, use of facilities at Hong Kong Sports Institute, counselling and accident, travel, life and medical insurance. Given that the athletes must have achieved 3 points accumulated in the Olympic Games/Asian Games/Paralympic Games/Asian Para Games Sports in the previous two years, the funding is allocated to athletes based on performance and commitment (Hong Kong Sports Institute Limited, 2023).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Research Grants Council, University Grants Committee [UGC/IDS(C)15/M01/20].

Notes on contributors

Gigi Lam

Dr Gigi Lam is an Associate Professor in the Department of Sociology at the Hong Kong Shue Yan University with ORCID id 0000-0002-1158-3577. Her main research interests are population policy and mental health policy. Dr Lam has published academic papers in leading journals, such as Asian Education and Development Studies, Health and Quality of Life Outcomes, Modern China Studies, Home Health Care Services Quarterly and Mental Health Review Journal. She is on the editorial board of two refereed journals: Public Mental Health (a specialty section of Frontiers in Public Health, Frontiers in Psychiatry, and Frontiers in Sociology) and English Language Teaching. She has completed a project entitled “Preparing for the launching of e-sports: An interdisciplinary and holistic perspective in prevention of teenage gaming addiction problem based on Bronfenbrenner’s bioecological model in the era of e-sports,” which is funded by an Institutional Development Scheme (IDS) Collaborative Research Grant.

Oscar Wai Kuen Wong

Oscar Wai Kuen Wong is an undergraduate holding a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Hong Kong Shue Yan University. He worked as a research assistant at the Hong Kong Shue Yan University on a project entitled “Preparing for the launching of e-sports: An interdisciplinary and holistic perspective in prevention of teenage gaming addiction problem based on Bronfenbrenner’s bioecological model in the era of e-sports,” which is funded by an Institutional Development Scheme (IDS) Collaborative Research Grant.