Conceptualizing Resource Integration: The Peculiar Role of Pure Public Resources

Abstract

Resource integration is fundamental to value cocreation. In service-dominant logic, operant resources are the primary interest of actors’ economic exchange. However, the resources in service-dominant logic are rarely classified and analysed in detail. In addition, natural resources are widely neglected in conceptualizations of resources and resource integration. To fill these research gaps, this article aims to extend the existing conceptualizations of resource integration by specifically focussing on the integration of different types of resources. For this purpose, resource classifications from both the German-language literature, which is internationally mostly unknown, and the English-language research are included. Furthermore, natural resources are used as a case to discuss the peculiar role of pure public resources. Following calls for ‘oscillating foci’ to gain a better understanding of value co-creation, we further analyse resource integration at different levels of analysis by specifically focusing on the micro-level. Nevertheless, we emphasize the interdependencies between different levels of analysis. Therefore, we close important research gaps in the service-dominant logic literature, specifically regarding resource integration.