Value Co-Creation and Satisfaction in B2B Context: A Triadic Study in the Furniture Industry

Vicente Sales-Vivó,Martina G Gallarza,Irene Gil-Saura

doi:10.3390/su13010152

Abstract

Research on Value co-Creation (VcC) has been more extensive in B2C (business-to-consumer) than in B2B (business-to-business) and mainly for service contexts, under dyadic approaches (supplier–client). Moreover, research has paid little attention to the impacts of VcC on Satisfaction in its duality: Social and Economic Satisfaction. As a novelty, this study examines VcC in B2B industrial relationships in the triad of supplier–manufacturer–client. A model proposes VcC as an antecedent of manufacturer’s Economic Satisfaction, with the mediating role of Social Satisfaction. The model is empirically contrasted for a sample of 77 firms from an industrial panel—the Spanish Furniture Market Observatory. The triadic approach is depicted with bi-directional relationships of the manufacturer with its main supplier and main client). Results evidence that VcC and Economic Satisfaction are greater in the manufacturer–main client relationship. Moreover, the manufacturer’s Satisfaction relies on its social dimension, which has a key role to produce Economic Satisfaction. Results also show asymmetry in the supply chain, different from those with the main supplier. Implications for managers invite to achieve a long-term VcC chain with all business partners, the focus being on manufacturer’s social dimension, so the triad supplier–manufacturer–client could be better aligned.

Highlights

IntroductionValue co-Creation (VcC) is currently a major line of research in the marketing literature.The practices of VcC in B2B (business-to-business) relationships, whether industrial or between service companies, are of growing strategic interest for the development of competitive advantages
Value co-Creation (VcC) is currently a major line of research in the marketing literature.The practices of VcC in B2B relationships, whether industrial or between service companies, are of growing strategic interest for the development of competitive advantages
We focus on industrial manufacturers with a proposed model of mediation of Social Satisfaction in the VcC–Economic Satisfaction chain

Summary

Introduction

Value co-Creation (VcC) is currently a major line of research in the marketing literature.The practices of VcC in B2B (business-to-business) relationships, whether industrial or between service companies, are of growing strategic interest for the development of competitive advantages. Under the SDL lens, numerous studies have identified strategic business priorities related to the VcC, especially in recent years [2] Among these priorities, what clearly stands out is the need to develop complex and dynamic co-creation networks through service ecosystems with clients and partners [3,4]. A new priority arises: the creation of Product/Service Systems, in an interaction between tangible and intangible elements in the company, known as “servitization” [5,6], all in a competitive context of globalization and digitalization In this sense, addressing VcC, both scholarly and managerially, can contribute to more holistic ecosystems in companies and corporations [7,8]

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