Customer participation and value co-creation are two core concepts in service marketing, which emphasize that customers are no longer passive value recipients but active value co-creators. This paradigm implies that industries must adopt service-oriented strategies in the future to deliver remarkable experiences and superior value for customers. This paper primarily uses two cases to illustrate its arguments, employing both qualitative and quantitative analysis methods to demonstrate the implications of customer participation and perceived value, as well as the relationship between them. The study offers a reference for practices in service companies and for the service-oriented transformation of manufacturing enterprises. Nonetheless, some research gaps remain, such as multi-industry studies, multi-perspective analyses, and the intrinsic relationships across different value dimensions.

ABSTRACT Purpose This article argues for how products evolved in the experience economy and discusses production strategies of the experiential product. Design/methodology/approach Drawing upon the theories of human motivation, experience economy, experiential marketing, value co-creation, and co-productive offering, this paper develops an experiential product evolution model. Given that the fulfillment of the need for self-actualization will lead to the ultimate satisfaction, this study proposes the upper stage of experiential products from the perspective of the sense of self-actualization. Being a research-based paper, the topic is approached by theoretical analysis and conceptual development. Findings The model of how the experiential product evolved has been developed, five stages of the evolutionary progress are distinguished: the utilitarian product, the pleasurable product, the collaborative product, the participative product, and the self-conductive product. The experiential product will become co-productive instead of unilateral productive and finally be self-conductive. The paper regards the enterprise as an experience stager, a consumer assistant, and the customer as the ultimate producer of the experience. Meanwhile, comparisons show that traditional products are designed to emphasize utilitarian functions, while experiential products focus on providing pleasurable experiences derived from the customer’s creation and self-actualization. Drawing on the analysis, a conceptual model of experience formation process is developed. Research Implications This study posits that the experiential product evolution is driven by increased customer participation. The analysis provided a comprehensive framework for experiential product design. The comparison between traditional and experiential products elucidates key concepts such as the source product, the final product, the collaborative enterprise, and the self-conductive consumer. The findings on the relationship between enterprises and customers will enrich the literature on experience economy and experiential marketing. Practical Implications The proposed model provides a clear guideline for designing experiential products, identifying aspects that can enhance the value proposition. It defines the types of experiences that should be incorporated to create more welcoming products. An empirical validation of the five-stage evolution model through imagery evidence in tourist destinations is presented. This study adopts a cross-industry perspective, which is applicable to various segments of experience industry, such as the hospitality, tourism, and education sectors, as well as to the agricultural, manufacturing, and service industry. The findings of this paper may assist experience designers and business managers in their work. Originality/value The concept of peak experience has been discussed for several years, this research explores a commercial approach to achieving this optimal state of happiness.

The transformation of digital banking has shifted its focus from “marketing to” customers to “marketing with” customers, positioning customers as active value co-creators. Despite high mobile banking adoption (79.5% of internet users), active customer participation in value creation remains low (39.2%). This study aims to analyze the role of Service Quality and Trust in Customer Value Co-creation Intention (CVCI) among bank customers representing the top-tier banking sector in Indonesia with core equity exceeding IDR 70 trillion. These banks are pioneers of digital banking innovation, offering an inclusive range of national and global services, facilitated by the strongest capital base for resilience. A quantitative approach was used in this study by utilizing an online survey of 350 bank customer respondents who have used the service for at least one year. Data were analyzed using SEM-AMOS. The findings of the study revealed that Mobile Banking Service Quality (MBSQ) and Trust Beliefs (TB) are the strongest promoters of CVCI. Although positive attitude (Attitude Toward Using M-banking/ATUM) influences CVCI, Trust Beliefs also plays a significant moderator role, which substantially strengthens the influence between attitude and Customer value Co-creation Intention. Practically, banks should prioritize Value-Added Features (VAF) and ensure strong privacy or security to promote customer participation and create sustainable value in the digital ecosystem.

Lestari Waste Bank was founded in 2022 and started operating in January 2023, located in Tamanjaya Village, Tasikmalaya City and is not yet registered as an active waste bank. One of the waste banks that is active in Tasikmalaya City is the Sugema Waste Bank. The aim of this research was to analyze differences in the level of knowledge and participation among customers of Lestari Waste Bank and Sugema Waste Bank. This research used a cross sectional design. The population was all Lestari Waste Bank customers, totaling 44 people and all customers of Sugema Waste Bank, totaling 110 people. The sampling technique used total sampling for Lestari Waste Bank customers. Meanwhile, simple random sampling was used for Sugema Waste Bank customers, involving 95 people. The independent variable was the type of waste bank. The dependent variables were knowledge and level of customer participation. Data were collected through an interview process with a questionnaire instrument. Data analysis was carried out using univariate and bivariate analysis. Differences in mean of knowledge were analyzed using the Mann-Whitney test. Differences in customer participation levels were analyzed using the chi-square test. The results of the research showed that there was a difference in the mean knowledge of Sugema Waste Bank and Lestari Waste Bank customers (p value <0,05). There was a significant relationship between the type of waste bank and the level of customer participation (p-value <0,05). The conclusion obtained was that the knowledge and level of participation Sugema Waste Bank customers were better than Lestari Waste Bank customers.

This exploratory study aims to fill the research gap on unanswered findings in the Service-Dominant Logic (SDL) approach from the role of the inspiring value process. The novelty of this study's model framework is rooted in the SDL perspective that an inspiring value process will achieve shared value creation from the support of customer participation. In the end, this inspiration can shape values from product-centered to service-centered. Four hypotheses were developed and tested using PLS-SEM analysis techniques within a sample frame of 175 MSMEs in Central Java, Indonesia. The findings of this investigation produce four conceptual contributions. Firstly, customer participation has been proven not to impact improving marketing performance positively, but marketing performance can increase when bridged by an inspiring value process from customer participation. Thirdly, customer participation can provide leverage to inspire process value. Fourthly, the inspiring value process directly contributes positively to increasing marketing performance. Conceptual implications provide new propositions that can bridge inconsistencies in findings and empirical results, proving the role of the inspiring value process in contributing practically and theoretically to the SDL perspective.

Although service firms recognize the significance of frontline employees’ emotional labor in enhancing perceived service quality and sustaining competitive advantage, the theoretical mechanisms underlying this relationship remain insufficiently understood. Drawing on the Emotions as Social Information Model (EASI), this study proposed that frontline employees’ emotional labor influences customer perceived service quality through two distinct pathways: emotional contagion and inferential processing. Moreover, the relative strength of these two pathways is contingent upon customer involvement. Using dyadic data collected from frontline employees and customers in the banking sector, the results indicated the following: frontline employees’ different emotional labor strategies (deep acting and surface acting) exerted significant influence on perceived service quality through different pathways. Specifically, surface acting impacted service quality solely through emotional contagion process (via customers’ positive affect). Whereas deep acting influenced service quality through both emotional contagion (via customers’ positive affect) and inferential processing (via customer participation). Additionally, customer involvement moderated the relationship between deep acting and customer participation (strengthening the positive association), as well as the link between surface acting and customers’ positive affect (attenuating the negative association).

In recent years, marketing research has shifted from viewing customers as passive buyers to recognizing them as active participants in value creation, making the study of customer behaviors in this process increasingly important. This study aims to analyze the relationships among customer engagement, consumer innovativeness, organizational innovativeness, and brand identification, and how these factors influence customer participatory and citizenship behaviors. Data were collected from 384 residents of three-, four-, and five-star hotels in Isfahan, Shiraz, and Mashhad using a questionnaire. The results indicate that customer engagement, consumer innovativeness, organizational innovativeness, and brand identification from the customer’s perspective have a significant impact on customer citizenship and participation behaviors in hotels. This study demonstrates that innovativeness, customer identification, and engagement significantly enhance participation and citizenship behaviors, establishing an integrated behavioral model for the Iranian hotel industry. Hotel managers should strengthen customer identification, engagement, and innovation capabilities to effectively increase customer co-creation and supportive behaviors.

This study explores the factors influencing online car insurance purchasing decisions among car owners in Mafikeng, in the context of rising digital adoption in the insurance sector. The extended Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) were applied to investigate determinants such as trust, service quality, consumer attitudes, and social media influence. The research used a quantitative approach with a cross-sectional design conducted among 200 car owners. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire and analyzed with Chi-square tests, with reliability and validity confirmed. The results show that trust, service quality, consumer attitudes, and social media promotion significantly influence online purchasing decisions, while social media usage and perceived tangibility have relatively weaker effects. The findings highlight the importance of enhancing trust, transparency, and service quality in online insurance platforms. Insurance providers should also leverage targeted and credible social media strategies to foster consumer engagement and adoption in Mafikeng’s digital insurance market. By integrating TAM and TPB, this study contributes to the limited literature on digital insurance adoption in emerging markets and provides actionable insights for insurers seeking to strengthen customer trust and participation in online platforms.

Purpose This study aims to investigate how service modularity facilitates value co-creation in knowledge-intensive business services (KIBS). Design/methodology/approach An in-depth qualitative case study was conducted in a large international KIBS firm operating in the engineering, architecture and consultancy fields. Data from both the provider and customer side were collected through interviews, focus group discussions and secondary sources. Findings Eight modular components of KIBS were identified: segmentation, categorisation and unitisation of offerings; differentiation and decoupling of processes; and organisational centralisation, specialisation and partnership building. These components facilitate value co-creation, for example, by enhancing transparency, clarifying client needs, enabling efficient customisation, fostering customer participation, aligning resources and integrating specialised expertise. This study also highlights dynamic interactions among components and introduces partnership building as a novel modular element that further embeds a relational approach into modular service design. Practical implications The findings offer a useful tool for identifying and leveraging modular components to facilitate value co-creation in KIBS. It supports the strategic alignment of offerings with diverse customer needs, encouraging internal collaboration and knowledge sharing to strengthen modular service delivery. Social implications Modular service design can foster more sustainable infrastructure solutions in KIBS by facilitating value co-creation that benefits not only direct customers but also end-users, such as citizens relying on public services in the field of urban planning. Originality/value This research advances the understanding of service modularity, value co-creation and KIBS by itemising the modular components and demonstrating how they interact dynamically, thus actively shaping the conditions necessary for effective value co-creation in KIBS.

This article examines the role of digitalization in various aspects of the lives of young Belarusians. The digital requirements of brands and the attitude towards various digital initiatives of Belarusian companies, which are being formed by a young audience, are particularly highlighted. The conceptual framework for investigating digital needs was provided by concepts of marketing, digital consumption, conscious consumption, generation theory, and self-sufficiency. Primary data from global companies and portals (McKinsey, GfK, Datareportal.com, Statista.com, Fortune.com) is used for the research. An online survey was conducted with 300 respondents aged 18–34 years on the platform “Yandex Look.” The Mann-Whitney test (U-test) was employed to analyze the disparities in the responses of two distinct groups of young people, namely C1 (age range 18–24) and C2 (age range 25–34). The analysis revealed that the responses of representatives from selected segments regarding the importance of digitalization and the frequency of digital technologies, the importance of brand-trust criteria, and the enhancement of aspects of digital marketing by Belarusian firms were all the same. The improvement of digital marketing should include the improvement of procedures for order and service support, communication with customers, systems of complaints and proposals, systems of ratings and reviews, and procedures of customer participation in the creation of goods and services.

This research examines the factors that drive digital transformation and investigates the roles of organizational agility and customer participation in the transformation as key drivers of enhancing company performance. Using a quantitative method, data was collected from companies that have implemented digital transformation through an online survey. This study employed a partial least squares (PLS) structural equation model (SEM) to examine the proposed model using Smart PLS. The results indicate that technological, human, and environmental factors significantly influence a company's digital transformation. Furthermore, this research contributes to theory by integrating organizational agility and customer participation within the framework of digital transformation and its impact on company performance, as measured through operational efficiency, innovation performance, and profit growth. The findings highlight the importance of organizational agility amplifies its positive effects on operational efficiency, innovation performance, and profit growth, while customer participation plays a pivotal role, particularly in enhancing innovation performance.

In recent years, scholars in marketing and service disciplines have focused their attention on the impact of customer participation (CP). However, few studies have focused on the integration of the antecedents, mediators, and moderators of CP, and their effects on customer citizenship behaviors (CCB). This study intends to fill these research gaps and develop a comprehensive research framework. Using survey data from 488 customers in the retail industry in Taiwan, the study results indicate that firm (service-dominant orientation), individual (personality traits and perceived ability), and social factors (subjective norms) are three of the most influential antecedents for CP, which further influence CCB. In addition, role identification serves as a moderator that amplifies the influence of the antecedents on CP, while the perceived benefits of participation and the perceived ability serve as a moderator that strengthens the influence of CP on CCB. Since CP is an extremely important marketing activity, the results of this study provide a good reference to support academicians in conducting more empirical validations. The results may also be helpful for professionals seeking to develop an effective marketing strategy related to CP.

In retail enterprises, employee well-being is recognized as a key factor influencing service quality and operational sustainability. While prior research has extensively investigated enterprise-centric approaches to improving employee well-being, little scholarly attention has been devoted to understanding the effects of customer participation and service scene innovation on employee well-being. Employing a case study methodology, this research investigates a Chinese exemplary retail enterprise “Pang Donglai”, exploring how retail enterprises can leverage service scene innovation to improve employee well-being from the perspective of scene innovation. The findings reveal that service scene innovation in retail enterprises can be categorized into three types: empowerment-oriented scene innovation, autonomy-oriented shopping scene innovation, and thematic display scene innovation. These innovations facilitate empathetic interactions between employees and customers, effectively enhancing employee well-being and creating a virtuous cycle of value co-creation among the enterprise, employees, and customers. Therefore, retail enterprises can continuously improve the working situation of employees, the display of products, and the shopping environment of customers, in order to enhance employee well-being and thus improve their voluntary behaviour and its sustainability. This study provides empirical insights into how retail enterprises can enhance employee well-being through service scene innovation, thereby contributing to the improvement of business performance.

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are capable of stimulating economic growth, employment generation, and innovation. SMEs contribute immensely to the economy through job generation and the stimulation of local economies. All these notwithstanding, the majority of SMEs still encounter great challenges that stand in the way of their survival and growth. Two such key challenges are limited resources and ineffectual marketing strategies. Lacking good marketing, SMEs are not able to compete in the marketplace and win and retain customers. In this study, a quantitative design was employed to identify the impact of different marketing strategies on the sustainability of SMEs. A total of 275 respondents, all SMEs from diverse industries answered a self-administered, closed-ended questionnaire used in the research. A number of statistical techniques were employed in the research design to test the data, including the Pearson correlation coefficient, chi-square tests, multiple regression analysis, descriptive statistics, and hypothesis testing. Statistical Package for Social Sciences version 23 software was utilized to analyse the data. The research findings indicate that marketing concepts have a great influence on SMEs' sustainability, as shown by the critical performance indicators of market share, profitability, return on investment, and long-term performance. The independent variables examined customer participation, distribution channel, branding, pricing policy, promotion practices, and customer loyalty were reliable predictors of sustainability. Customer loyalty and branding were the two variables that impacted sustainability the most among all of these. In addition, a significant amount of the variance in SME sustainability was accounted for by the interaction of the independent variables. SMEs can focus on establishing a strong brand, improving customer loyalty schemes, establishing competitive prices, maximizing distribution channels, and implementing effective marketing campaigns according to the findings. By adopting these marketing strategies, SMEs can enhance their long-term survival prospects, increase market share, and attain consistent profitability and growth. SME managers and owners who want to maximize their sustainability in a competitive market will find the suggestions from these findings particularly useful.

Purpose Despite influencers’ impact on consumers’ decision-making, limited research has focused on the role of influencer credibility in developing unplanned and excessive buying behaviors. Thus, using signaling theory, this study investigates how an influencer’s credibility affects online impulsive and compulsive buying behaviors in the eco-conscious apparel market of an emerging country. Design/methodology/approach We achieved this objective by analyzing the data collected from 466 online customers. Using SmartPLS, we used a structural equation modeling technique to investigate the proposed hypotheses. Findings The results suggest that influencer credibility does not directly affect online compulsive buying but does indirectly through the urge to buy. The study finds that customer participation weakens the effect of influencer credibility on the urge to buy. Additionally, service recovery strengthens the link between online impulsive buying and online compulsive buying. Practical implications These findings improve our understanding of the role and process by which influencer credibility affects online impulsive and compulsive buying behaviors for apparel products in a developing country, Pakistan. This study offers insights for marketers into developing promotional strategies and budgeting preferences for emerging social media influencers, which may attract online customers and, ultimately, increase the firm’s sales. Originality/value This study demonstrates the impact of influencer credibility and how it affects online impulsive and compulsive buying behaviors in the eco-conscious apparel market.

A promising paradigm for decentralized machine learning is federated learning (FL), enabling for local model training yet safeguards data privacy. Despite this, challenges which includes limited resources, varied device capabilities, and communication bottlenecks emerge when integrating FL in wireless communication networks. The hierarchical FL architecture suggested in this research is optimized for multi-hop wireless networks by combining adaptive grouping, dynamic resource allocation, and a two-hop communication protocol to improve accuracy and efficiency. The proposed method’s efficacy in increasing convergence speed, model accuracy, and customer participation rates is supported by experimental findings.

This study aims to analyze the application of Grunig and Hunt's Two-Way Symmetrical Model of communication in customer complaint services at Perumda Tirta Giri Nata Kota Cirebon. This communication model emphasizes balanced and mutually beneficial two-way communication between organizations and the public. The study employs a descriptive qualitative approach, with data collected through observation, documentation, and interviews with customers. The results indicate that Perumda has successfully established a responsive complaint communication system through both offline and online channels, such as direct service at the complaint unit, Instagram, WhatsApp, and email. Complaint handling is conducted systematically and followed up by relevant administrative and technical units, using a transparent and participatory approach. In addition, innovative strategies such as complaint priority scales, pipe replacement programs, payment facilitation, and water supply crisis management further reflect the application of symmetrical communication principles. The reciprocal relationship and customer participation in the problem-solving process demonstrate the success of Perumda in fostering ethical, open, and mutually beneficial communication. Therefore, the implementation of the Two-Way Symmetrical Model at Perumda Tirta Giri Nata has made a positive contribution to improving service quality and building customer trust.

This study aims to analyze the implementation of the Berkah Mulya Waste Bank program as a Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative of PT. Japfa Comfeed Cirebon. In waste management and community empowerment. This study employs a descriptive qualitative method, utilizing observation, in-depth interviews, and documentary analysis as data collection techniques. It also explores the workflow of the waste bank and its impacts based on the Triple Bottom Line concept (Profit, Planet, People). The research findings indicate that this program contributes positively economically through additional income for the community, environmentally through reduced waste volume and improved cleanliness, and socially through increased awareness, active participation, and community collaboration in waste management. However, the study also identified challenges in maintaining customer participation and a lack of succession planning for managers. Efforts to address these challenges include continuous education and the use of digital technology to attract the interest of younger generations. In conclusion, the Berkah Mulya Waste Bank is a successful CSR practice model that integrates environmental, social, and economic aspects and has the potential to be replicated as a community-based waste management solution in other regions.

Differences in employees' educational backgrounds are presumed to influence the quality of salon services received by customers, particularly in terms of professionalism and technical competence. This study aims to compare the service quality between salon employees who are graduates of vocational high schools in beauty (SMK Tata Kecantikan) and those from general or non-beauty vocational high schools (SMA/SMK non-kecantikan). Using a quantitative comparative approach, the research involved customer participants from two salons in Bukittinggi City. Data were collected through a closed-ended questionnaire using a 4-point Likert scale and analyzed using the Independent Sample t-Test with SPSS version 0.25. Prior to hypothesis testing, normality (Shapiro-Wilk) and homogeneity (Levene’s Test) checks were conducted. Descriptive analysis showed that beauty school graduates outperformed in the aspects of tangibles, reliability, and empathy but scored lower in assurance. Conversely, non-beauty graduates excelled in reliability, responsiveness, assurance, and empathy, but were weaker in tangibles. However, the t-test results indicated no significant difference in overall service quality between the two groups (p = 0.894 > 0.05). The study concludes that formal educational background does not significantly affect customer perceptions of salon service quality. These findings offer practical implications for salon managers to prioritize training and work experience over educational background in employee recruitment.

With the development and maturation of artificial intelligence (AI) technology, AI service contexts have become a new scenario in the service industry. This study explores the impact of three types of customer behaviors on front-line employee service silence in the context of AI service contact compatibility in China’s service industry. It also examines the mediating role of employee emotional reactions and the moderating effect of employee AI perception. The study empirically tests these relationships using data from 657 samples in China’s hotel service industry. The results show that customer participation and positive feedback behaviors have a significant negative impact on employee service silence, with employee emotional experiences mediating the relationship between customer behaviors and service silence.