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Business-to-business (B2B) relations will become more prevalent in many areas such as delivery services, based on current trends supporting e-commerce proliferation. In addition, hyperlocal e-commerce, which focuses on customers in a small geographic region, relies heavily on another business to handle the supply chain. Emerging trends in business to business to customer (B2B2C) experiences provide retailers with opportunities to develop strategies for better customer service. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to develop a scale for measuring business customer experience in the B2B2C aggregator business model.

Using the psychometric scale development procedure, the researchers devised a 29-item, six-dimensional scale measuring business customer experience with the help of two cross-sectional studies. Restaurant managers who rely on delivery partners to serve their customers were surveyed twice. The authors validated a scale for assessing business customer experience using exploratory factor analysis, confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modelling.

Based on fit criteria, a higher-order formative structure was best suited to the scale. The dimensions identified were shared vision, interaction experience, end-customer focus, relationship experience, service experience and outcome focus. According to the study, business customer experience is more objective and utilitarian than existing paradigms on customer experience.

Theoretically, this research helps to understand the underpinnings behind the formation of business customer experience and attempt to bring transformative service research focus in the B2B2C trilogy as better experiences predict the well-being of members of the business centre in the B2B.

Practically, this research helps businesses to revisit their strategies for a better relationship with business partners for jointly offering an improved experience to the end customers.

This study explains a pioneer attempt to develop a scale for business customer experience in the context of B2B2C aggregator business models.

This chapter aims to identify integrated marketing communication (IMC) in the context of business to business to consumer (B2B2C) and empirically test a number of hypotheses related to the selected constructs. A model of the IMC was tested in a survey conducted among stakeholders in the selected field. Professionals responsible for communication and branding activities need to evaluate the relative contributions of the IMC in the B2B2C perspective.

This study aims to investigate the impact of utilitarian, hedonic and social emotional mechanics in gamified digital platforms on the components of value co-creation.

Hypotheses are proposed to test the emotional mechanics of gamification as antecedents of value co-creation in terms of the components of the DART (dialogue, access, risk assessment, transparency) model. The Nike+ gamified digital platform is used as the context for the empirical analysis. The hypothesis testing is performed from the consumer perspective, with data gathered using a questionnaire sent to users of the Nike+ application.

The social emotional mechanics of gamification have a positive impact on the value creation components of dialogue, access, transparency and risk. Utilitarian and hedonic mechanics also exert an impact on the value creation component of access. This study contributes to the value co-creation literature. The findings also reveal the role of customer emotions in embracing gamified platforms in a business-to-business-to-consumer (B2B2C) ecosystem.

Practitioners and consumers in B2B2C ecosystems can gain insight into how to interact in digital gamified platforms and how to co-create value. This study shows the importance of customers’ emotional mechanics when participating in gamified platforms. The results can help organisations ensure the success of their value co-creation processes.

This paper proposes a combination of approaches that have traditionally been studied in isolation, placing emotions at the heart of the value co-creation paradigm.

This paper aims to investigate how pharmacies communicate their customer value proposition (CVP) in a complex and multiple-stakeholder setting. More specifically, from the pharmacists’ perspective, the study analyzes how CVP is articulated in complex settings/offerings and among multiple stakeholders; and elucidates the communication gap among stakeholders of the CVP.

Two studies were conducted to examine how offerings are communicated throughout the value chain. Through six in-depth interviews, Study 1 aimed to analyze how pharmacies articulate CVP for over-the-counter (OTC) drugs in a complex business-to-business-to-consumer setting. For Study 2, the data were collected from 113 French pharmacists to investigate the communication issues and to unveil the tools used to promote OTC drugs among the different stakeholders.

From the pharmacists’ perspective, the longer the chain, the more complex the efficiency of the CVP. This study conceives a new and adapted CVP as iterative and cumulative. This paper also highlights how value is distributed across the customer relationship in a complex and regulated industry. The findings feature a reciprocal perspective of CVP between the pharmaceutical labs and their direct/indirect customers. Final customers aim at creating a reciprocal approach with the different stakeholders. Pharmacists use a unidirectional perspective of CVP with their direct customers (patients/final customers).

The study contributes to a better understanding of the CVP in complex industries characterized by a chain of value distributed among multiple stakeholders (i.e. business-to-consumer and business-to-business). The article also enriches past research that analyzed the way firms communicate their offerings from a CVP perspective.

This paper aims to explore the conditions in a business-to-business-to-consumer (B2B2C) context characterized by new technologies. Innovations enhance disintermediation and pursue sustainability goals that drive customers’ willingness to use eco-friendly delivery options, namely, parcel lockers – in e-commerce and their impacts in terms of communication and transparency along the supply network.

The study conducted an extensive survey in Italy and Germany, collecting 1,010 usable responses. Structural equation modelling was used to analyse the data with the aim of identifying the factors that drive customers’ willingness to use parcel lockers and the effect on customers’ behaviour as determined by the disclosure of information about the environmental performance of different delivery options.

The results highlight several factors affecting the willingness to use parcel lockers, namely, performance and effort expectancy, social influence, technology anxiety, hedonistic motivation and environmental knowledge. The results also demonstrate that the disclosure of information about the environmental performance of different delivery options influences customers’ behaviour.

This paper faces several limitations, mostly related to the focus on just two countries, the use of cross-sectional data and the survey’s explicit reference to just one type of product. Nevertheless, the findings contribute to the discussion on the relevance of information sharing along the supply chain, providing favourable evidence in this regard. It also improves the stream of research concerning technology adoption in the context of e-commerce, highlighting factors that can lead consumers to use eco-friendly self-service technologies.

The results can support companies in understanding how they can design and manage the last mile of delivery to jointly achieve customer satisfaction, process efficiency and superior environmental performance.

This pioneering contribution studies the adoption of delivery solutions for e-commerce and its implications for the supply network.

The purpose of this study is to identify the factors that make the adoption of interoperability solutions for online tourism distribution (OTD) more likely by small operators and to develop an evaluation framework for this solutions. Research identifying these determinants is missing. The resulting evaluation framework is then applied to evaluate a number of extant technological solutions focused on interoperability solutions for OTD.

In an attempt to address this gap of research, this paper undertakes a series of interviews and focus groups of the European tourism industry.

Findings partly aligned with the suggestion made by previous research about technology adoption by micro, small and medium tourism enterprises (SMTEs), they also highlighted some issues which are specific to the adoption of interoperability solutions for OTD. These related to the scarcity of information and communication technology (ICT) applications specifically designed for mini and micro enterprises, the very limited capabilities available for using efficiently ICTs in business-to-business (B2B) operations and the difficulty in collaborating with other companies due to the number of different solutions used in the industry, especially when dealing with large aggregators (global distribution systems (GDSs) or large online travel agencies) and lack of standardization for data.

The study has important theoretical implications. It provides a better understanding of issues affecting the adoption of interoperability solutions for OTD by SMTEs, such as the scarcity of ICT applications specifically designed for mini and micro enterprises, the very limited capabilities available for using ICTs efficiently in B2B operations and lack of standardization.

It facilitates making decisions about adopting interoperability solutions for online distribution solutions, both by suppliers and destination managers.

Limited work has focused on understanding issues affecting the adoption of interoperability solutions for OTD solutions among SMTEs.

Ecogamification can make a positive impact on Tourism. With this in mind, the present study aims to examine specific stakeholders – those positioned at the upstream side of gamification process – and their perspectives concerning not only the benefits, but also the challenges of (eco)gamification.

The study follows a qualitative-exploratory approach and bases its results on the analysis of 10 in-depth interviews conducted with buyers and providers from the emerging Portuguese tourism and tech markets.

Results shed light on key benefits of ecogamification, including its potential to promote “green” behaviour, transmit complex information through entertainment, reward users for good practices, improve engagement and help avoiding overtourism. Simultaneously, there are important challenges to overcome, including the lack of investment, resistance to new technologies, low eco-consciousness of tourists and distraction from issues that matter. Further, findings show that ecogamification takes on different and specific roles for buyers and providers.

The research limitations are mainly related to the sample size.

An effective ecogamification process depends on the integration of the supply and demand sides and, at the same time, on the responsibility of different stakeholders (providers, buyers, players) across the value chain, through a broad logic of B2B2C.

This study contributes towards a better understanding of ecogamification in tourism, through the eyes of buyers and providers and also provides insights regarding the role of these specific stakeholders and the relationship between them.

生态游戏化对旅游业有积极影响。本论文探究特定利益相关方--游戏化过程的上游一方—对（生态）游戏化的既得利益以及挑战。

本论文采用定性-探索型调研方法, 进行了10次深度访问, 对葡萄牙新兴旅游科技市场的购买方和采购商进行对话。

研究结果对生态游戏化的关键利益做了梳理, 包括其对潜在“绿色”行为的倡导, 通过娱乐方式传输复杂信息；奖励用户良好行为, 促进用户参与度, 以及帮助避免过度旅游现象。同时, 研究明确了重要挑战需要克服, 包括资金投入的缺失, 新技术的抵抗, 游客的生态意识低下, 以及生态的衍生问题等。此外, 研究结果表明生态游戏化对买房和卖方的不同特定角色。

研究理论限制主要集中在样本数量较小。

有效生态游戏化过程取决于供求双方的整合, 同时, 责任于不同利益相关者（供方、买方、游戏人）在整个价值链上, 通过B2B2C逻辑达成。

本论文深化了对旅游业中生态游戏化的理解, 通过买方和供方的视角, 同时针对这些特定利益相关者的角色以及其之间的关系, 提出独到见解。

关键词 游戏化、生态游戏化、可持续性、SDGs、旅游业

In 2010, Salil Pande founded VMock, an online product that helped MBA students prepare for job interviews. Students could upload their video interviews and get feedback from mentors and peers. Four years later, VMock pivoted from an interview feedback product to a “Smart Resume” product that focused on improving resumes. The pivot was based on the insight that job candidates first needed help fixing their resumes before they could obtain and prepare for interviews. Further, the interview feedback product was difficult to scale as it relied on human feedback. The Smart Resume product, on the other hand, was powered by machine learning and artificial intelligence technology, making it more scalable and allowing VMock to evolve its offering from a product to a platform for managing careers. VMock had forged strong relationships with top business schools in the United States and Europe and its Smart Resume platform had been well received by the market.

Now Salil and his wife (and head of product development), Kiran, had to determine the next step in the company's evolution. They realized that the time had come to take their business to the next level. But they were faced with several options on how to go about scaling VMock. Should they market directly to consumers or should they use partners to scale their user base? Should they create a solution for employers to help them recruit and manage talent? What revenue streams should they focus on to maximize growth and profitability? These strategic decisions would be key to the survival and growth of VMock.

Organizational routines emerge in firms during the process of new venture creation. Typically, they are imprinted and sometimes replicated by the entrepreneurs creating the organization, reflecting individual and contextual characteristics. In particular cases, organizations are designed for replicating routines for new ventures. The authors investigate one such case from the IT industry using a dynamic routine perspective and focus on how routines originally created by an organization are replicated in several new ventures. In more detail, the authors focus on how routine replication counter-intuitively allows for innovating in new venture creation. The authors find that routine replication supports entrepreneurial innovation in three ways: (1) the replicator organization’s accelerating routines unburden the replicator organization’s innovating routines; (2) the replicator organization’s accelerating routines unburden the new venture’s innovating routines; and (3) the new venture’s accelerating routines unburden the new venture’s innovating routines. The authors contribute to the discussion about the replication dilemma by conceptualizing “unburdening” as a mechanism that allows both routinization and innovation benefits to be reaped.