Value Co-creation Process Research Articles

Artificial Intelligence and the Value Co-Creation Process in Higher Education Institutions

The transformative capacity of artificial intelligence (AI) in different sectors is rapidly progressing. One of the sectors in which there has been an increase in these developments is the education sector, particularly higher education (HE). Although some studies have begun to consider the advances in AI to incorporate solutions at various stages of the university educational process, the role of students as possible co-creators of these developments has not yet been considered. From a perspective of value co-creation and service-dominant logic (SDL), this study seeks to identify the typologies of value perceived by university students with respect to different AI solutions applied to the learning process in the framework of a value network composed of themselves and other actors in the network. Using a qualitative, phenomenological research approach, four workshop sessions were developed with a total sample of 93 students from three Colombian universities. The results indicate that students mostly respond in agreement with the co-creation of value based on the concepts of AI functions in the future scenario of HE. These AI functions include the machine teacher and the Smart Tutoring App. The chatbot is among the functions associated with value co-destruction, which is one of the most widespread developments in the area of user experiences in business. Finally, we discuss these findings and offer implications for guiding public policy and strategic decisions by university boards in this highly relevant area.

Ecosystem Well-Being and Resilience: Lessons from Crisis Management in Service Organizations

ABSTRACT Purpose In this paper, we investigate the strategies and approaches adopted by service organizations to navigate a humanitarian crisis and the lessons learnt from the crisis to face a future one. Understanding the effect of a crisis triggered by health pandemic hazards on services delivery and management, organizational strategies for survival and recovery, and the recovery post-crisis, in terms of building organizational and ecosystem resilience, is the focus of this paper. Design/Methodology/Approach Using a qualitative research design which closely approximates the theory-in-use (TIU) approach (Zeithaml et al. 2020), we interview 47 elite informants from service organizations that were particularly severely impacted by the crisis. We follow Corbin and Strauss’s (2014) procedure for analysis of the interviews (i.e., open, axial and selective coding) and Saldaña (2013) for thematic analysis. Findings Drawing on Transformative Service Research (TSR) and dynamic capabilities perspective, we develop an empirical framework of crisis management which focuses on dynamic co-creation of service ecosystem well-being and resilience. Service organization responses included 1) retrenchment and balancing supply and demand, 2) service re-design and provision, 3) imposed service innovations, 4) digital servitization and 5) rethinking business models. Aiding with the process of crisis management in the face of uncertainty are dynamic capabilities, including strategic flexibility, market orientation, customer centricity, transformational leadership, and technological/digital capabilities. Originality/Value/Contribution The study provides a novel applied framework which sheds light on how organizations that co-created value with other firms, suppliers, customers, stakeholders (the focus of B2B marketing) fundamentally transformed their services to fulfill human and ecosystem actors’ needs, by placing well-being right at the center of their crisis management strategies. We combine the TSR lens on service ecosystem well-being and resilience with the dynamic capabilities perspective to explore how service organizations managed the COVID-19 crisis and what lessons can be learnt to face any future crisis. We argue that well-being and resilience are dependent on a service co-creation process that involves multiple ecosystem stakeholders at the individual, organizational, community and societal levels. We have built on Anderson’s et al. (2013) and Chen et al. (2020) work to explore empirically how well-being can be co-created in time of crisis. The process of value co-creation, through the responses identified in our paper (e.g., digital servitization and imposed innovations), were adopted to provide physical, health, financial and social safety to the service ecosystem actors (primarily customers, employees, and managers) during the pandemic. Practical implications The findings contribute to the service marketing practice by identifying the managerial strategies that blend TSR and dynamic capabilities. The study provides an applied framework which sheds light on how organizations fundamentally transform their services to fulfill human and ecosystem actors’ needs, by placing well-being right at the center of their crisis management strategies. Well-being became a function of fulfilling the most basic human needs (belonging, safety, security and hygiene) of customers, employees, managers and communities. Our research helps managers and decision-makers to identify the right strategies and capabilities needed to manage a crisis. Critically, managers should stress building the skills of market orientation, digitalization and strategic flexibility to manage uncertainty. Service organizations require flexible and integrative decision-makers who elevate service innovation to a core strategic issue to come out from a crisis.

From expectational conflicts to energy synergies: The evolution of societal value co-creation in energy hub development

Societal value co-creation is an emerging practice in renewable energy projects. Despite its increasing popularity, however, unclarities persist regarding its operationalisation. This paper provides relevant insights by explaining how expectations of societal value co-creation evolved and became performed in a co-creative energy hub project in Emmen, the Netherlands. Over the course of project development, different and sometimes conflicting expectations co-existed of the hub's societal value potential. Drawing on observations, interviews, and document analysis, we describe the developers' efforts to synthesize these different value expectations into a coherent co-creation approach. The results indicate that timing in and of expectations, actor positions and organisational design are influential in how expectations become operationalised in renewable energy projects. Recommendations are provided for the design of societal value co-creation processes in future renewable energy projects.

Being friendly and competent: Service robots' proactive behavior facilitates customer value co-creation

The rapid expansion and integration of robots in the service industry have transformed the way services are delivered. With service robots increasingly replacing frontline human staff, the dynamics of service encounters have shifted from human-to-human to human-to-robot interactions, thereby significantly impacting the process of value co-creation. The active involvement of customers in co-creating value with these robots becomes crucial for the successful implementation of robotic services. Drawing upon social perception theory, we investigate the influence of service robots' proactivity on customers' willingness to engage in value co-creation and delve into the underlying mechanisms. Three studies were conducted across diverse service settings, each involving different service robots. Consistently, the findings demonstrate that customers display a greater inclination to co-create value with proactive service robots. The proactive behavior exhibited by these robots substantially enhances customers' perceptions of warmth and competence. Importantly, these effects are observed across various service scenarios and customer segments, including both premium and regular customers, thus affirming the robustness and generalizability of our findings. Our research provides practical guidance for practitioners involved in the implementation of service robots. Additionally, theoretical advancements and suggest potential directions for future research are discussed.

Purchase Intention Model Based on Storytelling, Product Innovation, Value Co-Creation, and Empowerment of Farmers in Indonesian Natural Cosmetic Products

Objective: This study aimed to examine and explain the effect of storytelling and product innovation on the purchase intention of cosmetics made from natural ingredients through value co-creation and moderated by farmer empowerment. Method: The method used is a quantitative approach using Structural Equation Model Partial Least Square (SEM-PLS) models technique on SmartPLS 3.0. The sampling technique used is a non-probability sampling technique, and the respondent was natural cosmetic users in Indonesia. Results: The results show that storytelling is related to purchase intention and is also related to value co-creation which in the end value co-creation can increase purchase intention. In addition, product innovation can also increase purchase intention and value co-creation, which can escalate purchase intention. Empowerment does not significantly affect purchase intention directly, but the empowerment that moderates storytelling proves to exert a significant influence on purchase intention. Value co-creation significantly mediated the effect of storytelling on purchase intention, and it mediated the effect of product innovation on purchase intention. Conclusion: New product innovations are proven to have a significant effect on the purchase intention and value co-creation process. Value co-creation is proven to be able to increase purchase intention and also able to mediate storytelling and product innovation to increase purchase intention. Finally, farmer empowerment has been able to provide reinforcement when storytelling seeks to increase purchase intention.

The role of social movements in transformative tourism development: Lessons learnt from a case study in Lithuania

This study responds to the need for theoretical and empirical research on value co-creation in tourism. Previous research has mainly adopted a perspective centred on the collaborative relationships between tourists and service providers, i.e., has been focused on a relationship called ‘one-to-one’. According to the emerging trends in value co-creation theory, value co-creation activities, however, are more complex. The research provides empirical support to previous general conceptualisations of value-creation and brings some new insights to value co-creation involving multiple actors from a perspective called ‘many-to-one’. The research is focused on the role of the most active stakeholder in transformative tourism that represents ‘many’ actors as a whole – the social movement. The paper describes a case on a transformative tourism initiative that is a particularly rich setting for expanding value-cocreation in a network of activities’ research for a more complex understanding of value networks in the tourism sector. The case study examines extensively the role of social movements in transformative tourism development through value co-creation. The findings develop a more complex value co-creation mechanism and enable the conceptualisation of the value co-creation process by identifying drivers of collaboration, value co-creation activities, and outcomes. The research demonstrates the potential of social movements for the development of transformative tourism in value co-creation and has implications for both entrepreneurs and policymakers seeking to develop transformative tourism and leaders of a new generation of social movements aiming to transform society.

Tensions in value spaces: The organizational buying center and advanced services

Advanced services necessitate redistribution of activities and new value co-creation processes and configurations, which are negotiated through interactions between organizations' buying centers (BCs) and selling centers (SCs). Transition to advanced services is rarely smooth because ecosystem actors often move into value spaces or territories (in which value is created/co-created) occupied and/or coveted by other actors. An exploratory qualitative approach was used to explore the value-space tensions (22 semi-structured interviews with senior executives from a range of industrial sectors and ecosystem positions). Our findings identify four advanced services lifecycle phases and demonstrate how managing these tensions across phases and BCs and SCs within the ecosystem is a necessary negotiated process impacting value creation/co-creation. We adopt a new theoretical lens (combining territorial servitization and territoriality from economic geography) to explore value spaces within-and-between BCs and SCs in advanced services ecosystems, and contribute to extant literature by: (1) delineating servitization value-space tensions as either cognitive/relational or Cartesian/physical; (2) illustrating how value-space tensions within-and-between BCs and SCs hamper advanced service implementation; (3) revealing how value-space tensions within-and-between BCs and SCs impact value co-creation; and, (4) demonstrating how different tensions manifest between BCs and SCs across the advanced services lifecycle.

A Study on the Business Model Optimization Strategy of Knowledge Payment Platform: The Example of Zhihu

The rapid development of the Internet has contributed to the continued advancement of the knowledge payment industry. Currently, knowledge payment platforms, as the core force of the knowledge payment market, guide the continuous changes in the direction of content production, enterprise operation and consumer demand in the knowledge payment industry. However, research on knowledge payment platforms in academia is still in its infancy, and in particular, there is a paucity of research that systematically examines the characteristics of successful knowledge payment platforms and strategies to address the problems of business models from the perspective of business models as a whole. Therefore, a systematic and thorough understanding of the essence and richness of the business models of knowledge payment platforms is crucial to an in-depth understanding and grasp of the development rules of the knowledge payment industry.This article focuses on the business models of Internet knowledge payment platforms and their optimisation strategies. Take Zhihu as an example using a case study approach and the perspective of value networks, this paper constructs a business model based on value networks and conducts specific research and analysis on the eight elements of the business model to explore the essence of the business model of knowledge payment platforms and its optimisation strategies under the collaborative competition model, which is equally important in the Internet era. Evidence from this case study finds that value network is the main form of operation of the business model of platform-based enterprises, and the platform achieves the business closure of value acquisition and value maintenance through the engine driven by value proposition and value co-creation.The study reveals that competition and cooperation are equally important business concepts and the whole process of cross-enterprise value co-creation in the Internet era, which complements the research perspective of business model optimization strategy research focusing on competition and provides certain reference significance for the business model optimization of platform-based enterprises.The contribution of this paper is to provide a new perspective for the study of business model optimization strategies. This article is sorting out business model optimization strategies. On the basis of relevant literature, the original theoretical research perspective of enterprise management focusing on competition rather than cooperation is supplemented，From the perspective of “value network”, combined with the theoretical basis of Yuanlei’s business model, a business model based on value network is proposed Model. On this basis, take the knowledge payment industry as the exploration field, and take the typical knowledge payment platform Zhihu platform. In order to study the case, by revealing the key factors for the success of the business model of Zhihu platform, verify the new business model theory Explanations of enterprise practice. Through research, it is found that the theoretical model of the new business model better explains the Internet knowledge. The essence of the business model of the payment platform is a complete value co-creation closed-loop structure, which also reveals the Internet knowledge.

Responding to the imprecisions of social enterprise identity: considering the role of participatory governance

PurposeThis study aims to understand the importance of participatory governance in the identity of social enterprises (SEs). To this end, this paper provides a framework by means of the value co-creation process and by drawing from the service-dominant logic perspective and the stakeholder theory. An explanation is also provided regarding the opportunity to include fundamental issues in defining SE collective identity, such as those related to an organisation’s participatory nature of involving the stakeholders affected by its activities, the exercise of democratic decision-making and its autonomy from the state and market.Design/methodology/approachOn the statistical exploitation of a large international data set, the authors approach the conceptualisation of SEs by providing an index to measure their social, economic and governance characteristics, thereby enabling these enterprises to be categorised into different groups.FindingsThis study found that the inclusion of the governance dimension in the research incorporates the greatest variability between the various models of SE, thereby justifying participatory governance as the raison d’être of the two fundamental schools in SE, namely, Anglo-Saxon and European.Practical implicationsThis research offers a tool to policymakers to be used as a criterion of classification and hierarchical organisation for public procurement. It enables the various organisations to be ordered and takes social and cultural influence into consideration. This tool would be highly useful as a support of social entrepreneurship from the public environment, especially at the local level.Originality/valueThis study justifies the value of incorporating participatory governance as a distinctive dimension for the definition of categories of SEs. Furthermore, an index to craft taxonomies of SEs is developed based on social, economic and governance indicators, which provides a framework that facilitates the empirical research of the SE.

Value co-creation via machine learning from a configuration theory perspective

PurposeThis paper aims to propose an interpretive framework to understand how machine learning (ML) affects the way companies interact with their ecosystem and how the introduction of digital technologies affects the value co-creation (VCC) process.Design/methodology/approachThis study bases on configuration theory, which entails two main methodological phases. In the first phase the authors define the theoretically-derived interpretive framework through a literature review. In the second phase the authors adopt a case study methodology to inductively analyze the theoretically-derived domains and their relationships within a configuration.FindingsML enables multi-directional knowledge flows among value co-creators and expands the scope of VCC beyond the boundaries of the firm-client relationship. However, it determines a substantive imbalance in knowledge management power among the actors involved in VCC. ML positively impacts value co-creators’ performance but also requires significant organizational changes. To benefit from VCC via ML, value co-creators must be aligned in terms of digital maturity.Originality/valueThe paper answers the call for more theoretical and empirical research on the impact of the introduction of Industry 4.0 technology in companies and their ecosystem. It intends to improve the understanding of how ML technology affects the determinants and the process of VCC by providing both a static and dynamic analysis of the topic.

Artificial intelligence in healthcare: the value co-creation process and influence of other digital health transformations

PurposeDigital transformations are altering service models and care delivery methods in healthcare. Artificial Intelligence (AI) represents the next wave of transformation in healthcare. This study aims to understand patient perceptions of AI and its impact on value co-creation.Design/methodology/approachA conceptual model was developed to investigate how value co-creation operant resources (digital self-efficacy and relational service quality) impact value co-creation engagement (shared decision-making) and value co-creation outcomes (anticipatory AI value co-creation and intention to adopt AI). Data were collected from 332 respondents and analyzed using structural equation modeling.FindingsThe results indicate that the value co-creation process for AI technologies is a function of inputs, experiences and AI outputs. Operant resources were found to be positively associated with shared decision-making. However, not all operant resources directly and positively impacted AI outcomes. The indirect and positive mediated relationships through shared decision-making to AI outcomes suggest an interactive AI value co-creation process.Research limitations/implicationsAI technologies are still in early stages of consumer adoption in healthcare. Future research is warranted that investigates the validity of the model through maturing service life cycles.Practical implicationsCustomer perceptions of new digital innovations are formed in the context of previous digital experiences. Marketers need to understand how customers view their current non-AI technologies. Strong engagement and perceived value of current technologies will help ease customers into the usage of AI technologies.Originality/valueThis study investigates the unique stages of the value co-creation process for AI technologies in healthcare. The results demonstrate that the value co-creation process is a function of inputs, tech-enabled experiences and AI outputs.

Entrepreneurial Elements of Activity for Value-Based Selling -A Product Centric Perspective Model

Purpose: The successful implementation of VBS entails eight process elements of activity Yet Practical application showed a difference between theory and practice when its about to turning the concept into action in entrepreneurial domain, to address this gap this study aims to contribut to the improvement of the VBS implementation processes by exploring and designing a Product Centric VBS model for entrepreneurs, and by doing this to contribute to the general body of knowledge of VBS.
 Methodology: The research design builds on the Descriptive practice-oriented research methodology.
 Findings: While our study confirms earlier research on value-based selling antecedes and consequences we also identify epistemological assumption that the marketing organizational tier is the appropriate level for initiating VBS elements of activity hence the value co-creation process will be rationally superseded by value pre-crafting in collaboration between supplier and transitional entrepreneur.
 Unique Contributions to Theory, Policy and Practice: As earlier studies for Successful implementation of value-based selling and the conceptualization of the approach adopted a customer value co-creation perspective. These descriptions can form first stone in the milestone for further research in which propositions could be tested based on the assumptions that we used when we elaborated the parameters that form the construct of the model that we developed.

O Processo de Cocriação de Valor entre Associação de Turismo e seus Associados sob a perspectiva da gerência da Associação

Value co-creation is an overarching concept that describes collaboration between various stakeholders to build value and generate mutual benefits. In this research, we analyze how the value co-creation process occurs between an association promoting tourism and its members. Specifically, we seek to understand: how the value-co-creation main antecedents in tourism work, which are the major interaction channels that drive the value co-creation between association and members, and which benefits are generated by value co-creation. For this, we carried out a single case study with the largest associative institution in Latin America. We interviewed four association managers and analyzed internal documents such as bylaws, minutes, and management reports. Some of our main contributions were: people with high or low engagement generate value co-creation, but in different ways; prior knowledge is essential for potential associates to join; the quality of the service is felt deeply by the associates because they have a closer relationship with the association; and the relationship and trust between the association and members generate a sense of belonging in members.

Building value co-creation with social media marketing, brand trust, and brand loyalty

Value co-creation has emerged as a critical challenge for fashion brands in the age of social media. Despite its importance, scholars have not adequately explored the role of social media marketing (SMM) in enhancing value co-creation (VCC) intentions among fashion brand consumers in mainland China. SMM encompasses five hierarchical elements: entertainment, customization, interaction, electronic word-of-mouth (EWOM), and trendiness. This study developed a theoretical framework based on attribution theory and employed the partial least squares–structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) method to analyze the value co-creation process. The results indicate that SMM positively impacts brand loyalty (BL), brand trust (BT), and VCC. Furthermore, BT positively affects BL and VCC, while also serving as a positive mediator between SMM and BL and VCC. Finally, BL positively enhances the VCC intentions of fashion brand consumers. Our study's unique insights, derived from the attribution theory's advantage point, enrich the marketing literature. These findings also offer practical guidelines and tips for marketing managers seeking to optimize their SMM mix for VCC.

Consumer engagement behavior in the value co-creation process of healthcare services: a scoping review

PurposeThe purpose of this review is to provide a conceptual framework of consumer engagement behavior in the value co-creation process of healthcare services, and further understand the current knowledge maps and advances.Design/methodology/approachSpecifically, the scoping review methodology is used to synthesize the extant findings. The authors first develop the inclusion/exclusion criteria to evaluate the source material for the review; then, the authors further conduct the literature refinement to select the final data sample. As such, the authors extract and analyze the information derived from these articles.FindingsThe authors found most related studies focus on exploring patients' engagement behavior in the value co-creation process, especially those with chronic disease; the findings also reveal that consumers are most likely to engage in the value co-creation process of healthcare services by seeking or sharing health information; also, consumers engagement behavior is mainly driven by individual, interactive, and technological factors; moreover, consumer engagement in the value co-creation of healthcare services are more likely to achieve positive health and behavioral outcomes.Originality/valueThe role of consumers has gradually shifted from that of passive recipients to that of active participants in the healthcare value co-creation process. Consumer engagement behavior is the key premise for the realization of healthcare value co-creation, and it has received increasing attention both academically and practically. By unearthing the conceptual framework of consumer engagement behavior in the value co-creation process of healthcare services, this study provides a systematic understanding and serves as a useful resource for future research and practice.

The Influence of Engagement in Value Co-Creation on E-Learning Experience and Student Satisfaction: An Empirical Study

ABSTRACT The objective of this paper is to investigate the impact of students’ engagement in value co-creation on the perception of online learning experience and the effect of online learning experience on student satisfaction. The research method was a survey conducted on a sample of 532 respondents from a public business school. The findings show that increased students’ engagement in value co-creation results in their improved perception of e-learning experience, which in turn influences student satisfaction. Thus, in order to facilitate the engagement of students in the value co-creation process, it is imperative to optimise the quality of dialogue, enhance the availability of pertinent information, promote intellectual stimulation, increase participation in scholarly pursuits, and foster opportunities for inter-student interactions. The study also complements the current body of knowledge on value co-creation in higher education with an online context.

Antecedents and consequences of value co-creation in online shopping

Customer involvement is necessary for the value co-creation process in online purchases. This study intends to confirm the effect of online shopping experience on customer value co-creation behaviour, represented by participation behaviour and customer citizenship behaviour on repurchase intention and negative electronic word-of-mouth (eWOM). An online survey was conducted to collect data from the customers as respondents. This study used Partial Least Square-Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM) to test the hypotheses. The results show that the data supports four of the seven hypotheses. The online shopping experience positively affects customer participation and citizenship behaviour and then influences repurchase intention, but it does not affect negative eWOM. The results of this study provide an understanding of the importance of a customer experience, customer participation, and customer citizenship behaviours to encourage value co-creation by the customer, which is expected to increase repurchase intention. Previous studies have not linked value co-creation behavior to actual behavioral characteristics. The originality of this study discovers negative eWOM and repurchase factors due to CPB and CCB.

Literature review of value co-creation in education institutes: current states and future perspectives

Abstract Education has an essential place and influence on the future and current economy and society in general. Understanding the mechanisms of value co-creation in the education environment is therefore of paramount importance for improving the quality of educational services. Value co-creation focuses on the interaction with the learner with the aim of better academic performance and students’ satisfaction. This paper presents areas in which value co-creation is applied in higher education institutions and the results of its implementation, both for universities and students. Value co-creation promotes and enhances the interaction between educational institutions and students and seems to have a positive impact not only on academic performance, but also on students’ satisfaction and engagement levels. The process of value co-creation allows educational units and students to work together to optimise their experience and enhance their ability to actively participate in the educational process.

Dynamics Between Social Tie Strength, Customer Involvement and E-Commerce Value Co-Creation

The advantage to conceptualize value together with the firm’s customers has been documented to be one that differentiates the future of any enterprise. This challenges companies to engage their customers to participate in the value co-creation process. In consonance with the service-dominant logic, human interactions play a critical role in defining and concretizing the future of an enterprise. Strong ties need to be present for value co-creation to work. The concept of social tie strength, which was originally postulated by Granovetter (1973), encapsulates observed behaviors that define the intensity of social ties that exist between the company and its customers. Through Structural Equation Modelling, the researchers examined the dynamics of the relationship that exists between social tie strength and value co-creation. It further analyzes the role of customer involvement as a mediator to these two main concepts. The research tries to understand if customer involvement amplifies the effect of social tie strength in the value co-creation process. As traditional commerce migrates online, the tendency of companies is to automate things which predominantly were human touchpoints. The researchers emphatically believes that there are certain touchpoints that should not be left automated as this will eradicate the company’s opportunities to work with their customers. Even if AI tools such as chatbots are becoming more efficient, the human aspect in any business transaction cannot be undermined. This claim was validated by the research findings that social tie strength relates to value co-creation and this relationship is positively mediated by customer involvement.

How do ecotourists co-create value on digital platforms? The moderating role of ecotourist typology

Purpose This study aims to examine the process of value co-creation (VCC) on digital ecotourism platforms and the role of perceived platform usefulness and user participation behavior in that process. The study also seeks to determine the extent to which the typology of the ecotourist moderates VCC. Design/methodology/approach A total of 420 users of a digital ecotourism platform participated in a study analyzing the factors that influence VCC. A mediation, moderation and conditional process analysis was used to test the proposed hypotheses. A K-means cluster analysis was also used to classify the ecotourists into four groups. Findings The results show that perceived platform usefulness has a strong influence on the generation of VCC and also on user participation behavior. In turn, user participation behavior is an important driver of VCC. This study also highlights the moderating role of the ecotourist typology in the formation of VCC on these digital platforms. Practical implications This study offers managers of digital ecotourism platforms a means to identify and motivate those ecotourists with the necessary skills and characteristics to become true co-creators of value. Originality/value This study contributes to the existing knowledge on how value is co-created on digital ecotourism platforms, confirming the important antecedent role of perceived platform usefulness and user participation behavior, as well as the moderating role of ecotourist typology.