Background: The discussion regarding value co-creation begins within the field of service marketing, it tells that the value is mutually created in process between the firms and the customers. And that concept has been developed further in many aspects, such as B2B context in which the knowledge intensive industry is involved. Many researchers have argued the importance of value co-creation and emphasized on the need of more studies within business practices. In this study, the particular automotive-3PL relationship would be added in to explore the empirical study of value co-creation. Purpose: The main purpose of the thesis is to study how value co-creation can be managed and achieved from the perspectives of 3PL providers and the users within automotive industry. Method: Through the qualitative research approach, the comprehensive knowledge, which includes the 3PL providers and users’ insights and undertaken behaviours behind the value co-creation is obtained after conducting eight semi-structured interviews in a case study. Conclusion: The results show that the value co-creation is actualized when 3PL providers and automotive users together actively participate in a certain process, in which the offering, interaction and learning are the core activities that should be maintained circularly. Furthermore, the high level of relationship commitment and trust should be sustained between actors.

Building on Service-Dominant Logic, the Sport Value Framework, and the Psychological Continuum Model, this study is a micro-level perspective of value co-creation in spectator sport. By examining sport through the VCC lens, the dual role of the customer as both a contributor to and a beneficiary of value is acknowledged and the importance of stakeholder interactions is emphasized. The objective of this study was to develop a conceptual model of sport consumption value co-creation, to analyze the extent to which two theoretically and managerially important factors—attendance frequency (i.e., first-time attendee vs. repeat attendee) and stakeholder type (i.e., local resident vs. domestic traveler)—impact value co-creation in the recurring live sport event setting. Findings suggest that antecedent value propositions may have a stronger association with economic components of value for first-time spectators, but a stronger association with hedonic and social value dimensions for repeat spectators—and for domestic travelers, organization-related value propositions can have a stronger influence on hedonic value than is experienced by local residents.

Le processus de co-création de valeur est un sujet déjà bien étudié dans la littérature marketing. Pour autant, la co-création de valeur dans un contexte digital, reste un domaine peu abordé si l’on prend en compte le nombre des recherches empiriques sur ce sujet. La recherche menée par l’entreprise Forrester par exemple montre une corrélation entre l’expérience des clients et les gains de revenus liés à leur fidélisation, que cette dernière soit mesurée par des achats répétés, un taux de changement de marque moins élevé, ou une augmentation des recommandations par bouche-à-oreille. Cette étude a également révélé, sur l’ensemble des industries analysées, un revenu supplémentaire potentiel de deux milliards de dollars pour les compagnies aériennes et de un milliard pour le secteur de l’hôtellerie. Le but de cette étude est d’explorer le double aspect de co-création marketing et de mesure de la valeur client entre l’entreprise et ses clients, dans le cadre du marketing digital. Des études précédentes sur les communautés en ligne ont principalement abordé la création de valeur du point de vue du client (Cova, Pace, 2006; Cova et al., 2011; Pongsakornrungsilp, Schroeder, 2011) en positionnant celui-ci comme le principal acteur de la création de la valeur (Grönroos, 2008; Vargo, Lusch, 2004; Vargo, Lusch, 2008). / This thesis presents and analyses the findings that showcase value co-creation within an online community of a luxury hotel business: the Fairmont Resorts Hotels and International. The FRHI group consists of the Fairmont Hotels & Resorts, Swiss Hotel, and Raffles Hotels & Resorts, but the focus for this case is specifically the online community of the Fairmont Hotel & Resorts brand website. In July 2016, FRHI was acquired by AccorHotels Group. Fairmont Hotels & Resorts, the Canadian based hotel group manages over 74 hotel properties in 21 countries worldwide. The aim of this study is to analyse the value dimensions between the company and its customers from a digital marketing perspective. Previous studies relating to value co-creation in digital communities have for the most part focused on the consumer perspective in the creation of that value (Cova and Pace, 2006; Cova et al. 2011; Grönroos, 2008; Vargo & Lusch, 2004, 2008; Pongsakornrungsilp and Schroeder, 2011). This thesis adopts a holistic approach through a qualitative multi-method case study, and reveals significant insights into the relationship between brand communities and company strategies. With the proliferation of social media platforms and consumers dedicating ever-increasing time to online activities this research area is becoming increasingly important to companies and their marketing executives (Wang et al. 2016).

Syftet med denna studie är att undersöka vilka faktorer som är viktiga för value co-creation vid företagsrelationer mellan leverantörer och återförsäljare inom bilbranschen. Studien utgår från Grönroos (2006) teorier om value creation i företagsrelationer samt tidigare forskning om B2B-relationer. Underlaget för studien baseras på kvalitativa intervjuer med två representanter för BMW, samt fem av dess svenska återförsäljare. Datan från intervjuerna analyseras utifrån en modell som konstruerats för att belysa den value co-creation som båda parterna i relationen bidrar med. Resultatet av studien finner att de starkast påverkande faktorerna för value co-creation är tillit mellan de respektive företagen samt flexibilitet för motpartens önskemål. Två specifika exempel inom dessa faktorer lyfts fram som viktiga, förbättrad kommunikation mellan företagen och digitalisering, vilka framkommer som resultat av value co-creation mellan företagen.

The environmental sustainability challenges faced by society represent a discontinuity that requires new systemic ways of thinking and approaching problems. For business and consumers this entails finding new ways of creating value. In this respect, this study argues that an important source of value lies in efficient service co-creation between business and consumers in the consumption process. To this end, this study set out to explore the potential of business-to-consumer co-creation to advance solutions to sustainable consumption in the grocery retail setting. Exploratory qualitative research was conducted with grocery retailers and environmentally conscious consumers to gain insights into the types of initiatives that are important with respect to sustainable consumption. The willingness of business and consumers to work together to co-create solutions was gauged, and potential processes and mechanisms for co-creation were explored. The research found that both grocery retailers and consumers recognise sustainability as a systemic issue and welcomed the notion of co-creating solutions. However, the overarching narrative of the research findings with respect to the how of co-creation is that the market may not yet be ready. Retailers are driving sustainability initiatives across the supply chain, with consumers occupying a relatively passive role. This study argues that co-creation represents a fundamentally new paradigm that poses the challenge of a new orientation for the business-to-consumer relationship. / Dissertation (MBA)--University of Pretoria, 2010. / Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS) / unrestricted

The purpose of this thesis is to explore the value co-creation opportunities for an autonomous cleaning robot, in the context of a cleaning service, by using several prototyping methods. Assuming a service perspective, with an exploratory, multi-stakeholder, and collaborative approach, a case study of an autonomous cleaning robot currently in development is conducted. With the methodological approach of sequentially and iteratively going through the phases of Mapping and Ideation, Conceptualization, Prototyping, and Data analysis, a total of 10 co-creative, stakeholder-centric workshops were conducted, using various prototyping methods e.g. Contextual value network mapping and Desktop walkthrough. Findings show that the value that an autonomous cleaning robot can bring different stakeholders in the context of a cleaning service is multi-facetted and can be divided in to eight different Aspects, where each value carries a different implication at the level of the individual and the level of the system. Furthermore, a list of seven different Design parameters and four different Design problems are presented, which should be used as guidelines when further developing a cleaning service that uses an autonomous cleaning robot. Finally, the implications of the findings are put into a broader perspective through discussion, with topics such as the impact of more robots in society.

A strong brand community is characterized by its value co-creation practices and brand community consumer relationships. Although previous brand community literature explains the contribution of brand community entities through these practices and relationships separately, no identified research has focused on how these practices are connected to the consumer relationships. In short, this body of literature has neglected to describe what practice corresponds to which consumer relationship. Therefore, the purpose of this study sought to describe the value co-creation practices within brand communities in relation to its consumer relationships. A comparative multiple case study of two Adidas Runners communities was applied to address this. The findings suggest that the higher level of brand community entity involvement in value-co creation practices, the stronger brand community consumer relationships. Furthermore, the study details the connections between the different value co-creation practices and their corresponding consumer relationships. Specifically, these connections are as follows; social networking and community engagement practices connected to the consumer-other consumers and consumer-marketer relationships, impression management practices connected to the consumer-brand relationship, and brand use practices connected to the consumer-product and consumer-marketer relationships. In addition, the findings suggest the practice of socializing to be added to the set of value cocreation practices.

Background: Industrial actors see an increased relevance in adopting and promoting services within their business model in order to differentiate themselves on the market and drive growth. Service design is suggested to aid companies in this endeavor by supporting value co-creation between service provider and customer, however, new interdisciplinary methods are warranted in order to better represent and understand value co-creation in complex organizational systems.  Method: The case study adopted a mixed methods approach which incorporated tools from service design, interaction design and socio-technical systems theory (STS), used together with stakeholders at a business-to-business company. Qualitative and quantitative data was gathered and analyzed in order to assess the usability and managerial implications of implementing a STS framework in a co-creative service design process.  Results: The design process produced five themes representing prerequisites for value co-creation at the company. One of these themes was further assessed in the STS framework, resulting in a design proposition that depicted systemic interrelations between social and technological aspects.  Implications/Conclusion: The STS framework used in the current study enabled investigation of the systemic interrelations of value co-creation. It is proposed that the framework could be used as an explorative measure for developing and understanding service systems. It is not recommended as a prototyping tool for collaboration with stakeholders, as the data suggest that the framework might have a learning curve which is not convergent with the comprehensibility of service design tools. More research is warranted in order to generalize these findings.

For the last months, the Swedish e-commerce market has experienced impacted competitive dynamics followed by the entrance of the US giant, Amazon. This thesis investigated the competitive dynamics that developed after the entrance of Amazon on the Swedish e-commerce market. The research aimed to accentuate how the competitive dynamics developed, how Amazon was perceived on the Swedish market, and whether it was in fact unwelcome by Swedish firms. Suspicion of the unfamiliar giant resulted in various reactions from the Swedish players. The thesis conducted a case study of the competitive dynamics that developed from Amazon’s entrance into the Swedish market. A conceptual framework based on previous research was constructed to connect essential theories within competitive dynamics. The framework represents an industry’s competitive environment when an actor enters a new market. The empirical data was collected through qualitative research interviews with five Swedish firms operating within the book industry, children product industry, and marketplace industry. Findings showed that competitive dynamics is evidently impacted. The Swedish players are less threatened than expected, and many preparations were in store before the entrance. Findings additionally found that Amazon could help to drive customer consciousness of marketplaces. This thesis has contributed to additional insight in competitive dynamics from a firm perspective.

Consultant and client collaborations seek to create value for both parties. This thesis builds on service-dominant logic and examines how value is perceived and co-created by consultants in their client projects. The findings of this qualitative interview study advance a model of value co-creation in consultant assisted projects, which outlines what operant resources embrace the activities in the value co-creation process. The thesis supports the notion of value co-creation as a function of interaction in consulting projects and further contributes to the understanding of value from a professional service suppliers' perspective. The results contribute to the value creation literature and provide insights for consultants, clients and practitioners within the consulting domain. / Konsult och kundsamarbeten strävar för att skapa mervärde för båda organisationerna. Denna uppsats bygger på tjänstedominanta logiken och utforskar hur mervärde är uppfattat och skapat av konsulter i deras kundprojekt. Forskningen tar fram en modell som bygger på empirisk kvalitativ intervjudata. Uppsatsen stöder föreställningen av samskapat mervärde som en funktion av interaktion i kontexten av konsultprojekt och ger en insikt i hur konsulter uppfattar mervärde. Resultaten bidrar till mervärde litteraturen och ger insikter för konsultkunder och praktiker inom konsultdomänen.