Identifying the value co-creation behavior of virtual customer environments using a hybrid expert-based DANP model in the bicycle industry

Huan-Ming Chuang,You-Shyang Chen

doi:10.1186/s13673-015-0028-z

Abstract

AbstractSince 2008, soaring international oil prices and environmental awareness have pushed bicycle to be a green transport vehicle to reduce greenhouse gas emissions as a significant global trend. Consequently, Taiwan’s bicycle industry earned the “bicycle kingdom” has entered a new peak period of demand under popular social trends of bicycling for health conscious and a healthy exercise tool; thus, to co-create value with customers to retain the reputation is important for Taiwan’s bicycle industry. In Internet age, plus the prevailing of service-dominant logic, virtual customer environments (VCEs) can be greatly leveraged to promote customers’ active engagement in the value co-creation activities. After an extensive literature review, this study organizes a hybrid expert-based DANP model based on the applications of multi-criteria decision making (MCDM) tools, such as decision-making trial and evaluation laboratory (DEMATEL)-based analytical network process (ANP), for investigating the iterative and dynamic nature of customer’s engagement and value co-creation behavior in the key bicycle industry in Taiwan. In the empirical study of analysis, the use and gratification framework of prior studies is validated on concerning the dynamic value co-creation behavior in bicycling VCEs and yields the following empirical results: (1) Tribal behavior drives the pursuit of realized benefits through VCE engagement and affects the related participation and citizenship behaviors in turn; (2) recognize the importance of social influences toward personal commitment and engagement of bicycling activities and related VCEs; and (3) four broad types of interaction-based benefits derived from engagement in VCEs include cognitive, social integrative, personal integrative, and hedonic benefits. The major research findings on theoretical implications and managerial implications provide helpful insights on marketing of Taiwan’s bicycle industry.

Highlights

Based on a summarization report from “my Management Knowledge Center”, Taiwan’s bicycle industry has information-rich on the developments and status
Research framework Based on the well-known Stimulus-Organism-Response (S-O-R) model, which posits that environmental factors act as stimuli that affect an individual’s cognitive and affective reactions, which in turn affect behavior [60], this study proposes a research framework that relates members’ tribal behavior with stimuli, perceived benefits from virtual customer environments (VCEs) with organism, and value co-creation behavior with response, as shown in Figure 1 below
The most important criteria under each dimension are recognized as VCE identification and engagement, social integrative benefits, personal interaction, and continuance intention

Summary

Introduction

Based on a summarization report from “my Management Knowledge Center” (http://mymkc.com/articles/contents.aspx?ArticleID=21675), Taiwan’s bicycle industry has information-rich on the developments and status. Taiwan’s bicycle industry has developed more than 30 years and won the “bicycle kingdom” in the international arena. Due to threaten by low price competitions from China, Vietnam, and other less-developed countries, as well as the relocation of manufacturers and other factors, the industry began to decline. Since 2008, soaring international oil prices and environmental protection awareness have pushed bicycle to be a green transport vehicle to reduce greenhouse gas emissions as a significant global trend. It is beneficial for Taiwan to marketing high-end bicycles to mainland China and greatly reducing threatens from China’s dumping back of low-priced bicycles. Taiwan’s competiveness in bicycle industry is protected temporally, this industry still needs to confront with an extensive global competition. It is great issues for them to keep and discuss creating value for customers to increase an extensive global competitiveness

Methods

Results

Conclusion