Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Marketing as Value Co-creation Through Network Interaction and Resource Integration

  • Research Article
  • Published:
Journal of Business Market Management

Abstract

This is a theoretical discourse on contributions to the marketing discipline primarily from service-dominant (S-D) logic, relationship marketing, and the many-to-many network approach. The study combines a literature review with theoretical insights. Framed within a relational context it specifically addresses interaction and its role in the co-creation of value through resource integration. As a consequence, the article also deals with elevating midrange theory in the direction of more abstract and general theory, grand theory.

The article advances a model and five propositions which outline interaction in a network of parties as the most crucial antecedent to resource integration. The actors involved set up a dialog and transfer knowledge and other resources for organizational learning and resource creation and renewal. Resource integration is generalized to actor-to-actor (A2A) interaction through which the actors link their resources for mutual benefit. The integration assumes that resources can differ in terms of quality and quantity and require complementarities, or can be similar leading to an increase in the joint volume but sometimes to redundancy, or there can be mixed forms. In all of these situations interaction and co-creation in networks strive to improve service systems through a better matching between resources, processes, and outcomes.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Andreu, L., Sanchez, I., & Mele, C. (2010). Value co-creation between retailers and consumers: An application to the furniture market. Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, 217, 241–250.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ballantyne, D. (2004). Communicating through interaction and dialogue. In M. Gabbott (Ed.), An introduction to marketing: A value exchange approach. Frenchs Forest: Pearson Education.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ballantyne, D., & Varey, R. J. (2006). Creating value-in-use through marketing interaction: The exchange logic of relating, communicating and knowing. Marketing Theory, 6(3), 335–348.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Barabási, A.-L. (2002). Linked: The new science of networks. Cambridge: Perseus.

    Google Scholar 

  • Berger, P. L., & Luckmann, T. (1991). The social construction of reality: A treatise in the sociology of knowledge. London: Penguin.

    Google Scholar 

  • Capra, F. (2002). The hidden connections. London: HarperCollins.

    Google Scholar 

  • Christopher, M., Payne, A., & Ballantyne, D. (2002). Relationship marketing: Creating stakeholder value (2nd ed.). Oxford: Butterworth-Heinemann.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fisk, R. P., Grove, S. J., & John, J. (Eds.). (2000). Service marketing self-portraits. Chicago: American Marketing Association.

    Google Scholar 

  • Frow, P., & Payne, A. (2009). Customer relationship management: A strategic perspcetive. Journal of Business Market Management, 3(1), 7–27.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Grönroos, C. (2004). The relationship marketing process: Communication, interaction, dialog, value. Journal of Business and Industrial Marketing, 19(2), 99–113.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Grönroos, C. (2007). Service marketing and management (3rd ed.). Chichester: Wiley.

    Google Scholar 

  • Grönroos, C., & Helle, P. (2010). Adopting a service logic in manufacturing: Conceptual foundation and metrics for mutual value creation. Journal of Service Management, 21(5).

  • Grönroos, C., & Ravald, A. (2011). Service as business logic: Implications for value creation and marketing. Journal of Service Management, 22(1), forthcoming.

  • Gummesson, E. (2006). Many-to-many marketing as grand theory: A nordic school Contribution. In Lusch, R. F. & Vargo, S. L. (Eds.), Toward a service-dominant logic of marketing: Dialog, debate, and directions. New York: M.E. Sharpe.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gummesson, E. (2008a). Extending the new dominant logic: From customer centricity to balanced centricity. The Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science (Commentary for Special Issue), 36(1), 15–17.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gummesson, E. (2008b). Total relationship marketing (Rev. 3rd ed.). Oxford: Elsevier.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gummesson, E., & Polese, F. (2009). B2B is not an island. Journal of Business & Industrial Marketing, 24(5/6), 337–350.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gummesson, E., Lusch, R. F., & Vargo, S. L. (2010). Transitioning from service management to service-dominant logic: Observations and recommendations. International Journal of Quality and Service Sciences, 2(1), 8–22.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Haase, M., & Kleinaltenkamp, M. (2009). The resources-processes-outcomes approach—resource integration as the centrepiece of a market-oriented theory of marketing. In Gummesson, E., Mele, C., & Polese, F. (Eds.), The 2009 Naples forum on service. Napoli: Giannini Editore.

  • Håkansson H., & Snehota I. (1995). Developing relationships in business networks. London: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Håkansson, H., Ford, D., Gadde, L. E., Snehota, I., & Waluszewski, A. (2009). Business in networks. Chichester: Wiley.

    Google Scholar 

  • Holmlund, M. (2004). Analyzing business relationships and distinguishing different interaction levels. Industrial Marketing Management, 33(4), 279–287.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hunt, S. D. (2002). Foundations of marketing theory. New York: M.E. Sharpe.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hunt, S. D., & Madhavaram, S. (2006). The service-dominant logic of marketing: Theoretical foundations, pedagogy, and resource-advantage theory. In R. F. Lusch & S. L. Vargo (Eds.), Toward a service-dominant logic of marketing: Dialog, debate, and directions. New York: M.E. Sharpe.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hunt, S. D., Arnett, D. B., & Madhavaram, S. (2006). The explanatory foundations of relationship marketing theory. Journal of Business & Industrial Marketing, 21(2), 72–87.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jackson, B. B. (1985). Build customer relationships that last. Harvard Business Review, 1985(November–December), 120–128.

    Google Scholar 

  • Johnston, W., Peters, L., & Gassenheimer, J. (2006). Questions about network dynamics: Characteristics, structures and interactions. Journal of Business Research, 59, 945–954.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kim, D. H. (1993). The link between individual and organizational learning. Sloan Management Review, 1993(Fall), 31–50.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lovelock, C., & Wirtz, J. (2010). Services marketing: people, technology, strategy (7th ed.). Prentice Hall.

  • Lusch, R. F., & Vargo, S. L. (Eds.). (2006). Toward a service-dominant logic of marketing: Dialog, debate, and directions. New York: M.E. Sharpe.

  • Lusch, R. F., & Vargo, S. L. (2006). The service dominant logic of marketing: Reactions, reflections, and refinements. Marketing Theory, 6(3), 281–288.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lusch, R. F., Vargo, S. L., & Wessels, G. (2008). Toward a conceptual foundation for service science: Contributions from service-dominant logic. IBM Systems Journal, 47(1), 5–14.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lusch, R. F., Vargo, S. L., & Tanniru, M. (2010). Service, value networks and learning. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 38(1), 19–31.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Maglio, P. P., & Spohrer, J. (2008). Fundamentals of service science. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 36(1), 8–20.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Maglio, P. P., Kieliszewski, C. A., & Spohrer, J. C. (Eds.). (2010). Handbook of service science. Springer: New York.

  • Mele, C. (2003). Marketing e Qualità nell’impresa che crea valore. Padova: Cedam.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mele, C. (2007). The synergic relationship between TQM and marketing in creating customer value. Managing Service Quality, 17(3), 240–258.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mele, C. (2009, dicembre). Value logic in network. Sinergie, 16, 217–241.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mele, C., & Polese, F. (2010). Key dimension of service systems: Interaction in social & technological networks to foster value co-creation. In H. Demirkan, J. Spohrer, & V. Krishna (Eds.), The science of service system. New York: Springer.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mele, C., Russo, S. T., & Colurcio, M. (2010). Co-creating value innovation through resource integration. International Journal of Quality and Service Sciences, 2(1), 60–78.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Michel, S., Vargo, S., & Lusch, R. (2008). Reconfiguration of the conceptual landscape: A tribute to the service logic of Richard Normann. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 36, 152–155.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Moeller, S. (2008). Customer integration—A key to an implementation perspective of service provision. Journal of Service Research, 11(2), 197–210.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Möller, K., & Wilson, D. T. (Eds.). (1995). Business marketing: An interaction and network perspective. Boston: Kluwer.

  • Morgan, R. M., & Hunt, S. D. (1994). The commitment-trust theory of relationship marketing. Journal of Marketing, 58, 20–38.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nenonen, S., & Storbacka, K. (2010). Business models design: Conceptualizing networked value-co-creation. International Journal of Quality and Service Sciences, 2(1), 43–59.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nonaka, I. (1994). A dynamic theory of organizational knowledge creation. Organization Science, 5(1), 14–37.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nonaka, I., & Konno, N. (1998). The concept of ‘ba’: Building a foundation for knowledge creation. California Management Review, 40(3), 40–54.

    Google Scholar 

  • Normann, R., & Ramírez, R. (1993). From value chain to value constellation: Designing interactive strategy. Harvard Business Review, 71(July/August), 65–77.

    Google Scholar 

  • Payne, A., & Holt, S. (1999). A review of the value literature and implications for relationship marketing. Australasian Marketing Journal, 7(1), 41–51.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pels, J., Möller, K., & Saren, M. (2009). Do you really understand business marketing? Getting beyond the RM and BM matrimony. Journal of Business and Industrial Marketing, 24(5/6), 322–336.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Senge, P. M. (1990). The fifth discipline: The art and practice of the learning organization. New York: Doubleyday Currency.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sheth, J. N., & Parvatiyar, A. (1995). The evolution of relationship marketing. International Business Review, 4(4), 397–418.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Storbacka, K., & Lehtinen, J. R. (2001). Customer relationship marketing. Singapore: McGraw Hill.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tzokas, N., & Saren, M. (1999). Value transformation in relationship marketing. Australasian Journal of Marketing, 7(1), 52–62.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Vargo, S. L. (2008). Customer integration and value creation: Paradigmatic traps and perspectives. Journal of Service Research, 11(2), 211–215.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Vargo, S. L., & Akaka, M. A. (2008). Reframing innovation with service-dominant logic, presentation at Frontiers in service conference, October 3. Washington, DC, USA.

  • Vargo, S. L., & Lusch, R. F. (2008). Service-dominant logic: Continuing the evolution. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 36(1), 1–10.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Stockholm University School of Business, Stockholm, Sweden

    Evert Gummesson

  2. Business Economics Department, University of Naples “Federico II”, Naples, Italy

    Cristina Mele

Authors
  1. Evert Gummesson
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Cristina Mele
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Cristina Mele.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Gummesson, E., Mele, C. Marketing as Value Co-creation Through Network Interaction and Resource Integration. J Bus Mark Manag 4, 181–198 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12087-010-0044-2

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12087-010-0044-2

Keywords

Search

Navigation