Actor engagement as a microfoundation for value co-creation

Abstract

The starting point for this research is that value co-creation is difficult to observe empirically, whereas actor engagement is observable and thus more likely to be designable and manageable. Informed by the microfoundation movement in strategic management, actor engagement is conceptualized as a microfoundation for value co-creation within the context of a service ecosystem. Using a trans-disciplinary perspective, actors are viewed not only as humans, but also as machines and various combinations of humans and machines. Actor engagement is defined as both the actor's disposition to engage, and the activity of engaging in an interactive process of resource integration within a service ecosystem. This leads to identifying research issues for actors, engagement platforms, actor disposition, engagement properties and resource integration patterns. We conclude by drawing implications based on the identified research issues.