Value Co-creation Theory Research Articles

How influencers can enhance consumer responses by value co-creation

Purpose This paper aims to explore whether, how and when influencers’ value co-creation behavior in a post – influencers investing operant resources to enhance the value gained from using the product – shapes consumers’ responses toward an influencer’s recommendation. Based on value co-creation theory and consumer inference, this paper proposes that consumers infer influencers have more expertise with and more favorable attitude toward the product from value co-creation. Consequently, such behavior can foster consumer engagement and favorable attitude toward the recommended product. Design/methodology/approach The authors collected real-world data and conducted four sets of experimental studies. In the experimental studies, the presence of an influencer’s value co-creation behavior (i.e. co-creation vs. control) was manipulated to test the causal effect and mechanisms of co-creation on engagement and product attitude. Findings Results show that influencers’ value co-creation behavior positively affects consumers’ engagement and attitudes toward the product. These effects are driven by perceived influencer’s expertise with and favorability toward the product (Studies 1 and 2). Co-creating utilitarian value is more effective than co-creating hedonic value (Studies 3A and 3B). In addition, influencers with a larger number of followers benefit more from co-creation behavior than those with fewer followers (Study 4). Research limitations/implications This research adds to the literature on value co-creation by investigating how, why and when influencers’ value co-creation enhances consumer responses to the post. Our investigation concretizes value co-creation behavior in the context of influencer marketing and demonstrates its signaling effect with nuanced role of value type in shaping the effect. The findings provide a novel cue that influencers can use to enhance consumer responses to their posts. Practical implications Brands should encourage influencers to focus on value-in-use co-creation when promoting their products. While emphasizing value co-creation in influencer partnership, brands should also carefully consider the type and size of influencers they collaborate with based on the nature of their products and target audience. The research findings also provide practical implications for influencers, offering guidance on how they can optimize their content creation strategies and enhance their effectiveness in influencer marketing collaborations. Originality/value This research enriches understanding of value co-creation in the context of influencer marketing and the role of content specifics in influencers’ posts. The findings provide a novel cue that influencers can use to enhance consumer responses to their posts.

A theoretical framework for value co-creation analysis in carbon sink projects

With the maturation of the carbon market, carbon sink projects have become a thriving business model, and the value co-creation of carbon sink has become a hot topic in interdisciplinary research. However, the theoretical foundation for value co-creation of carbon sink is limited, and existing theoretical frameworks do not fully cover resource allocation, power dynamics, and interaction mechanisms among different actors in project operations. Therefore, this study, based on the theory of value co-creation and supplemented by residual rights theory and circuit of capital theory, has established a comprehensive theoretical framework to consistently understand the driving factors, co-creation process, and outcomes of resource transformation in projects. Using the Forest Ecological Bank in Fujian Province, China as a case study, we applied our theoretical framework for analysis. The results show that our theoretical framework can depict the complete process of value co-creation of carbon sink, reveal the roles played by diverse actors, and capture the project's dynamic changes. The research findings can provide guidance for the sustainable development of carbon sink projects in areas such as strengthening cooperation and partnerships, creating incentive mechanisms, and enhancing the role of third-party institutions.

The effect of customer participation on brand preference: Do hotel brand type and star rating matter?

Drawing on value co-creation theory, this study proposes a novel model that incorporates the hotel brand type and star rating into the “customer participation—customer brand engagement—brand preference” model to explore their impacts on the formation of customer brand preferences. Data collected from 330 hotel patrons were analyzed to test the proposed model. The results suggest that customer participation positively affected three dimensions of brand engagement, viz., cognitive engagement, affective engagement, and behavioral engagement, which in turn positively influenced brand preference. Contrary to expectation, hotel brand type and star rating weakened the relationships between affective engagement and brand preference. This study enriches the discussion on the determinants of brand preference and describes its formation path. Implications, as well as future research opportunities, are offered.

Cross-functional integration and new product development performance: Assessing mediating role of customer-supplier involvement and moderating role of structural empowerment

Under the open innovation paradigm, few empirical studies have addressed the value co-creation of the cross-functional and external integration, particularly the adverse effects of integration-induced structural empowerment on new product development (NPD). This study constructs a moderated mediation model grounded in value co-creation theory to investigate the interplay among cross-functional integration, customer-supplier involvement, structural empowerment, and NPD performance. Data from a survey of 294 high-performance manufacturing firms (machinery, electronics, and automobiles) worldwide, conducted during the fourth round of the High-Performance Manufacturing project, were analyzed. The empirical results indicate that cross-functional integration indirectly affects NPD performance through the mediating role of customer-supplier involvement. Moreover, the positive association between customer involvement and NPD performance is markedly diminished under conditions of high as opposed to low structural empowerment. However, structural empowerment does not significantly moderate the positive relationship between supplier involvement and NPD performance. This study contributes to the understanding of the value co-creation mechanisms associated with different integration strategies in NPD performance and reveals the potential drawbacks of excessive structural empowerment. Consequently, this study offers actionable insights for firms implementing integration strategies and structural empowerment.

How Do Location-Based AR Games Enhance Value Co-Creation Experiences at Cultural Heritage Sites? A Process Perspective Analysis

The sustainable development of tourism in cultural heritage sites benefits from the active participation of tourists in the co-creation process. Location-based AR games show great potential in tourists’ participation in creation and positive experiences. This study explores the relationship between the stage factors of the co-creation experience and the overall co-creation. Combining the service-dominant logic and process perspective of value co-creation theory, this research proposes a conceptual framework for co-creating experiences in cultural heritage tourism using augmented reality technology through two studies. In the first phase of the study, quantitative research was conducted on 256 visitors to measure the impact of factors in the three processes of pre-co-creation experience, on-site experience, and post-co-creation experience on the overall co-creation experience. In the study’s second phase, follow-up qualitative interviews were conducted based on multiple linear regression analysis results to expand the interpretation of the relationship and importance of factors affecting the co-creation experience process. The results show that psychological engagement, awareness, knowledge, and social relations during pre-visitation help enhance the overall co-creation experience. In contrast, the overall co-creation experience is enriched by real-time storytelling, interaction, and emotional resonance in both on-site and post-experience processes. The proposal of this framework model advances the discussion of augmented reality technology and co-creation experience to the empirical level. It provides a basis for further tourism co-creation experience design practice.

Digital age: The path choice of government-citizen value co-creation

This study explores the relationship between government and citizen in the digital age and proposes a specific path to realize the value co-creation of government and citizen in the digital age. Quantitative analysis of 40 policy texts on “digital government construction” of 30 provincial and municipal governments in China before November 2022 was conducted using NVivo12. The case of Minsheng Cloud revealed that provincial and municipal government departments have not paid sufficient attention to citizen participation. Furthermore, citizens' participation ability and enthusiasm are not high. The study found that in the process of strengthening the construction of digital government, “government optimisation”, “citizen participation”, “governance guarantee”, “data governance” and “government digitization” are the key elements. We discuss the feasibility, necessity and coupling of the value co-creation theory to establish the benign interaction between government and citizens and realize co-creation. We find that the “DART” model can be co-created based on value, and that the continuous Improving the four aspects of “dialogue”, “access”, “transparency” and “risk assessment” will undoubtedly help realize the value co-creation of government and citizens in the digital era, and form a governance pattern of co-construction and sharing. It is therefore of great significance to promote the government's digital construction and digital governance capability to accelerate the construction of digital China and promote the modernisation of the national governance system and governance capability.

Value co-creation on social attachment toward social platforms: evidence from developing countries

PurposeAs a high-reward strategy to differentiate social platforms, value co-creation is increasingly becoming a tool to enhance customers' social attachment. However, there is still a lack of academic understanding of the value co-creation that enables users to build social attachment with social platforms. To address this challenge, we develop and then examine a theoretical model grounded in value co-creation theory considering the relationship between value co-creation and social attachment, and also explore the mediating effect of user experience and the moderating effect of self-disclosure.Design/methodology/approachThis study takes representative social platform users as the research object, chooses Questionnaire Star as the platform for questionnaire distribution and collection and collects 531 eligible data through the snowball sampling questionnaire method. And then, MPLUS7.4 is used to analyze the data and thus examine our proposed theoretical model.FindingsThe results of structural equation modeling analysis suggest that two dimensions of value co-creation (i.e. initiated value co-creation and spontaneous value co-creation) affect social attachment not only directly but also indirectly (i.e. the mediating role of user experience) and that self-disclosure moderates the impact of value co-creation affecting social attachment.Originality/valueThis study verifies the impact of different dimensions of value co-creation toward social platforms on social attachment, showing that value co-creation plays an important role in developing users' social attachment and provides practical implications for promoting the sustainable development of social platforms and building users' psychological well-being.

Coevolution Mechanism of Remanufacturer–Construction Enterprise–Public in Construction and Demolition Waste Resource Utilization Projects under Green Value Co-Creation

The utilization of resources plays a crucial role in mitigating the environmental pollution issue that improper disposal of construction and demolition waste (CDW) causes. However, the slow growth of the recycled building materials market limits the development of CDW resource utilization. Green value co-creation among remanufacturers, construction enterprises, and the public in CDW resource utilization projects is an effective way to address the issue. This study, based on the theory of value co-creation, uses the evolutionary game method to construct an evolutionary game model for CDW resource utilization projects. The main conclusions are as follows: (1) When the degree of green value co-creation is 0.1 or 0.5, the remanufacturer, the construction enterprise, and the public cannot maintain a state of green value co-creation; when the degree of green value co-creation is 0.9, the remanufacturer, the construction enterprise, and the public in the CDW resource utilization project finally reach a stable state of green value co-creation. (2) When the degree of green value co-creation is 0.5, enhancing the green value co-creation willingness of the remanufacturer or the public can lead other CDW resource utilization project stakeholders to participate in green value co-creation. This study contributes to the promotion of stakeholder cooperation in CDW resource utilization projects, thus providing implications for the promotion of CDW resources.

Traveling food tourism with children industry: motivation, involvement, experience value and visit intention

Abstract The traveling food tourism with children industry has become a rapidly developing tourism market after the epidemic. Parents, children, and sightseeing factories have all benefited positively from their shared family travel experiences. Based on the value co-creation theory, this study analyzes literature related to traveling with children from a group perspective, selects variables and dimensions based on the characteristics of traveling with children in China, and investigate the relationships among motivation, involvement, experience value and visit intention in the context of the food tourism industry. Analysis of data from 578 respondents indicates that the proposed model fits the data well. The results indicate that the motivation of traveling with children does not have a direct positive impact on visit intention, but through tourism involvement and experience value, it can indirectly affect the visit intention of tourists with children. Empirical analysis is expected to contribute to the study on the experience theory of traveling with children. At the same time, targeted guidance and suggestions can be provided for product design, marketing strategy, and experience management in the food tourism industry.

Synergizing stakeholder collaboration for value co-creation in China's prefabricated decoration diffusion: A tripartite evolutionary game perspective

The emerging prefabricated decoration (PD) sector in China offers a compelling avenue for revolutionizing the construction industry, aligning with the imperatives of sustainability and industrialization. However, the outlook for the diffusion of PD in China's construction industry is less than promising. The development of PD is closely related to its value creation and the intricate interplay of stakeholder strategies and their ramifications on PD's value co-creation necessitates thorough exploration. Based on evolutionary game theory, this study elucidates the dynamic interactions among local governments, developers, and decoration contractors in China's evolving PD landscape. A tripartite evolutionary game model was established, investigating the evolutionary stable equilibriums and the corresponding strategies. Then, an empirical analysis in Chongqing City validates the game models and primary conclusions. Scrutinizing subsidy thresholds, local subsidy biases, PD proportion in prefabrication, and binary innovation allocation, the research unveils nuanced insights pertinent to boosting PD's value co-creation. Findings advocate an assembly rate threshold of subsidy (65%–70 %) and a shift towards incentivizing decoration contractors to catalyze PD adoption. Additionally, excessive PD proportion and immature product investments may hinder industry development, prompting stakeholders to recalibrate strategies dynamically. These findings characterize the mechanisms of stakeholder value co-creation during the PD diffusion, enriching the implications of value co-creation theory in the emerging industry of the construction sector. They also furnish stakeholders committed to promoting the diffusion of PD in the domestic and international construction sectors with practical strategic guidance, particularly tailored for cities in the early stages of PD development.

Analyzing Price Discrimination in Tourism Through Tripartite Evolutionary Game Theory: A Focus on Value Co-Creation

In the context of big data, pricing discrimination in global tourism expands the potential for reputational harm due to readily available information influencing tourists’ decision-making processes. This phenomenon also impacts the selection tactics of market entities, raising concerns about shared market value loss. By applying the value co-creation theory, wherein consumers and businesses collaborate to generate value, understanding the dynamics between businesses and tourists, as well as the motivations behind price discrimination, becomes more accessible. Furthermore, this study explores price discrimination behavior in the tourism market through the lens of value co-creation, employing a combination of prospect theory and mental accounting theory (PT-MA). Through the development of an evolutionary game model encompassing tourists, tourism enterprises, and the government, strategic decisions made by these stakeholders are analyzed. Besides, simulation and the in-depth examination of the model’s evolution using Matlab software reveal several key findings: (1) tourists tend to opt for compromise strategies due to their aversion to transactional costs associated with complaints; (2) reputational loss and sensitivity to loss aversion are inversely related to the likelihood of enterprises engaging in price discrimination; and (3) proactive and effective regulatory measures by the government prove successful in curtailing price discrimination in the tourism market, whereas fine policies demonstrate less efficacy. This study contributes to establishing a theoretical framework for selecting strategies aimed at achieving value co-creation in tourism.

Research on the Path of Realising the Value of Public Works under the Perspective of Value Co-creation Theory

As the foundation of China's economic construction and social development, due to its public welfare nature, the realisation of the value of public works is closely related to every member of society, i.e. there are multiple stakeholders. How to realise the value proposition of each stakeholder has become a measure of the success of public works. This paper analyses the connotation of the value realization of public works stakeholders and the characteristics of public works in China, takes the theory of value co-creation as the theoretical basis, and finally puts forward the path of public works value realization.

The effects of customer brand engagement on brand love in sharing economy

ABSTRACT Collaborative consumption has drawn the attention of both managers and researchers. However, the literature focusing on the antecedents and outcomes of brand love in collaborative consumption is not well documented. Drawing on value co-creation theory, this paper has developed and tested a model capturing the role of brand love with data collected from Airbnb consumers. The results from 380 Airbnb consumers show that consumer brand engagement, perceived authenticity, and value co-creation are key drivers of consumer’s love of Airbnb. Brand love then positively influences consumers’ intention to revisit Airbnb. However, consumer brand engagement does not directly affect revisit intention. The paper concludes with theoretical and managerial implications.

Patient influencer: the impact of homophily on value co-creation behaviour in online health communities

ABSTRACT The world has witnessed a rapid rise of online health communities (OHCs) where patients can create a powerful network of support and resources to make a meaningful difference in people’s health lives. Despite this rapid rise, healthcare authorities and organisations are under enormous pressure to create a sustainable environment for OHCs. Prior studies revealed that encouraging patient value co-creation behaviour (VCB) is substantially beneficial for successful OHCs; however, what factors influence these patient behaviours to co-create value is still unknown. To fill this gap, this study uses the service-dominant logic perspective of value co-creation theory and discloses how homophily between patient influencers and patients in OHCs effect VCB. The data was collected through a self-administered survey from 422 patients who are users of OHC in China and was analysed via partial least squares structural equation modelling and fuzzy set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA). The results revealed that homophily positively influences VCBs, i.e. participation behaviour (PB) and citizenship behaviour (CB). A parasocial relationship only moderates the relations between homophily and (PB), whereas the influencer ethical interaction capability significantly moderates the relationship of both homophily with patient PB and CB. Furthermore, the fsQCA findings signify the robustness of the study model.

A Study on New Media Publicity of Cultural Tourism under the Perspective of Value Co-creation Theory

In today’s rapid development of the Internet, the publicity advantages of new media have become increasingly obvious, and the national cultural and tourism sector has actively embraced new media to build an all-round, three-dimensional and multi-level new media publicity matrix to create high-quality cultural and tourism publicity content. Value co-creation has also become an important means to enhance the competitiveness of today’s digital media. Based on the theoretical perspective of value co-creation, the study analyzes the reasons for the excellent publicity effect of Harbin’s new media for cultural tourism, i.e., by stimulating users to participate in the interactive production of content, perfecting the content distribution mechanism around the user experience, and realizing the self-value-addedness of the participating subjects as well as the dissemination of the mainstream value and leadership, the study realizes the value co-creation and thus achieves a better publicity effect for cultural tourism.

How Are Rural Homestays Achieving Sustainable Development in the Post-COVID-19 Period: Value Co-Creation by Operators, Tourists, and Government

The mental fatigue of rural homestay operators is of great significance to their performance as well as the sustainability of the rural tourism industry. Mental fatigue is a state of mind caused by consistently demanding cognitive activities. The mental health of rural homestay operators has been severely hit during the COVID-19, and they are in urgent need of finding a path to recovery. Based on value co-creation theory, this paper explores how rural homestay operators’ mental fatigue affects their performance under the moderating effects of government support and tourists’ participation. We conducted a questionnaire survey in the 19 rural tourist destinations of Nanjing, China, and collected a total of 201 questionnaires from the homestay operators. The results reveal that the operators’ mental fatigue has a negative effect on the performance of rural homestays. What’s more, tourists’ participation could moderate the relationship between operators’ mental fatigue and their performance. Although the moderating effects of government support are not significant, they can influence operators’ performance directly and indirectly. Through the value co-creation of operators, tourists, and government with the aim of improving the performance value of the rural homestay co-creation process, the operators’ mental fatigue could be alleviated and their performance restored. These findings can help us explore the recovery mechanism of rural homestays and promote the sustainable development of rural tourism in the post-COVID-19 period.

The moderating role of face on value co-creation behavior and co-creation attitude in online health communities

PurposeGiven the progressive rise of online health communities (OHC) that have predominantly changed health delivery services, healthcare organizations still face tremendous challenges of low patient participation and lack of high-quality contribution to OHC. Prior scholars indicated that inducing patient value co-creation behavior (VCB) is substantially beneficial for the sustainable growth of OHCs. However, what drives patients' behavior to co-create value is still unknown. To fill this important gap, this study used the service-dominant logic of value co-creation theory and face (mianzi in Chinese) literature to discover how patient co-creation attitude (CA) affects patient VCB. Also, this study aimed to explore the joint mechanism of how face gain (FG) and face loss (FL) impact patients' VCB in OHCs.Design/methodology/approachThe survey data of 322 patients actively using OHC in China were analyzed via partial least squares structural equation model (PLS-SEM) and fuzzy set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA).FindingsThe results revealed that patient CA positively influences VCB, that is participation behavior (PB) and citizenship behavior (CB). Face gain (FG) strengthens the impact of CA and patient PB and CB, whereas face loss (FL) weakens the impact of CA and patient PB and CB. Furthermore, the fsQCA findings signify the robustness of the study model.Originality/valueThis study explores the multifaceted mechanism of patient value co-creation in OHC and discloses the crucial role of face for the first time. Further, the novel findings of this study provide a robust framework for advancing the understanding of important drivers of patient VCBs that significantly helps healthcare service providers and OHC managers to sustain OHCs.

基于价值共创理论下的商业模式创新——以小米公司为例

基于价值共创理论下的商业模式创新——以小米公司为例

A Study on Building Vocational Education Teacher Teams through Value Co-Creation Theory

A Study on Building Vocational Education Teacher Teams through Value Co-Creation Theory

Research on the Construction of Rural Innovation Industry Ecosystems from the Perspective of Value Co-Creation Theory

Research on the Construction of Rural Innovation Industry Ecosystems from the Perspective of Value Co-Creation Theory