Paper info: Co-creating the Business-to-Business Service Experience: A Network Perspective
Title
Co-creating the Business-to-Business Service Experience: A Network Perspective
Authors
Ilma Chowdhury
Place of Publication
The paper was published at the 27th IMP-conference in Glasgow, Scotland in 2011.
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Abstract
ABSTRACT
The proposed study attempts to explore how business-to-business (B2B) service providers engage in co-creation with clients, taking into account the influence of other actors in the service network. Managing co-created service experiences is critical to organizational success (Ostrom et al., 2010), especially in business-to-business service contexts where high interactivity exists (Wynstra et al., 2006). In addition, the complexities of interaction and relationships within a business service network (Ford et al., 1986; Håkansson and Snehota, 1989) mean that actors can impact the service experience in diverse ways. Incorporating a network view is important since understanding and managing the forces that are at work in the business service network is crucial to value creation (Zolkiewski, 2011).
A case study research method will be employed where multiple service provider-customer dyads in the same B2B service industry will be investigated and through them, the role of network actors in the co-creation of value will be explored. The study builds on theory from both services marketing and business-to-business marketing. The findings of this research would represent one of the few pieces of research on co-creation in a B2B context, offering a network view and where information from both sides of the supplier-customer dyad is present. Although grounded in the B2B service context, the study holds relevance in understanding business markets as a whole, as they increasingly take on the characteristics of service markets (Jacob and Ulaga, 2008).
Keywords: co-creation, business-to-business services, service networks, advertising
The proposed study attempts to explore how business-to-business (B2B) service providers engage in co-creation with clients, taking into account the influence of other actors in the service network. Managing co-created service experiences is critical to organizational success (Ostrom et al., 2010), especially in business-to-business service contexts where high interactivity exists (Wynstra et al., 2006). In addition, the complexities of interaction and relationships within a business service network (Ford et al., 1986; Håkansson and Snehota, 1989) mean that actors can impact the service experience in diverse ways. Incorporating a network view is important since understanding and managing the forces that are at work in the business service network is crucial to value creation (Zolkiewski, 2011).
A case study research method will be employed where multiple service provider-customer dyads in the same B2B service industry will be investigated and through them, the role of network actors in the co-creation of value will be explored. The study builds on theory from both services marketing and business-to-business marketing. The findings of this research would represent one of the few pieces of research on co-creation in a B2B context, offering a network view and where information from both sides of the supplier-customer dyad is present. Although grounded in the B2B service context, the study holds relevance in understanding business markets as a whole, as they increasingly take on the characteristics of service markets (Jacob and Ulaga, 2008).
Keywords: co-creation, business-to-business services, service networks, advertising