Marketing as Value Co-creation Through Network Interaction and Resource Integration

Abstract

This is a theoretical discourse on contributions to the marketing discipline primarily from service-dominant (S-D) logic, relationship marketing, and the many-to-many network approach. The study combines a literature review with theoretical insights. Framed within a relational context it specifically addresses interaction and its role in the co-creation of value through resource integration. As a consequence, the article also deals with elevating midrange theory in the direction of more abstract and general theory, grand theory. The article advances a model and five propositions which outline interaction in a network of parties as the most crucial antecedent to resource integration. The actors involved set up a dialog and transfer knowledge and other resources for organizational learning and resource creation and renewal. Resource integration is generalized to actor-to-actor (A2A) interaction through which the actors link their resources for mutual benefit. The integration assumes that resources can differ in terms of quality and quantity and require complementarities, or can be similar leading to an increase in the joint volume but sometimes to redundancy, or there can be mixed forms. In all of these situations interaction and co-creation in networks strive to improve service systems through a better matching between resources, processes, and outcomes.