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Understanding value co-creation in complex services with many actors

Nelson Pinho (INESC TEC Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal)
Gabriela Beirão (INESC TEC Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal)
Lia Patrício (INESC TEC Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal)
Raymond P. Fisk (McCoy College of Business Administration, Texas State University – San Marcos, San Marcos, Texas, USA)

Journal of Service Management

ISSN: 1757-5818

Article publication date: 12 August 2014

6983

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore the concept of value co-creation in complex value networks with many actors. Electronic health records (EHRs) are innovations that warrant deep study to properly introduce such a complex system.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper describes a qualitative study based on Grounded Theory to understand value co-creation from multiple actors’ perspectives in a National EHR Service Project: the Portuguese Health Data Platform.

Findings

Study results enabled further development of the value co-creation concept in complex environments with multiple actors. More specifically they allowed: operationalizing the value co-creation concept by identifying its factors and outcomes, understanding how value co-creation factors and outcomes are interconnected, and understanding of how value co-creation for each actor depends on his/her own actions and the actions of other actors, in a complex set of interactions and interdependencies.

Practical implications

The findings have implications for service managers seeking to understand how actors participating in the network integrate resources and interact to co-create value. The study highlights the need for designing and managing services to co-create value, not only by enabling dyadic interactions between the customer and the service provider, but also by supporting and enabling value co-creation interactions among different actors in the network.

Originality/value

This study responds to the need for empirical research on value co-creation in many-to-many contexts and for operationalizing the value co-creation concept.

Keywords

Acknowledgements

This research was funded by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT), through a doctoral grant (Grant No. SFRH/BD/64907/2009), and The Portuguese Ministry of Health. This work is partially financed by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) through the COMPETE Programme (Operational Programme for Competitiveness) and by National Funds through the Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT) (Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology) within project No. FCOMP-01-0124-FEDER-037281.

Citation

Pinho, N., Beirão, G., Patrício, L. and P. Fisk, R. (2014), "Understanding value co-creation in complex services with many actors", Journal of Service Management, Vol. 25 No. 4, pp. 470-493. https://doi.org/10.1108/JOSM-02-2014-0055

Publisher

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Emerald Group Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2014, Emerald Group Publishing Limited

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