Mara Grimaldi

Customer Value Co-creation in a Service-Dominant Logic Perspective: Some Steps Toward the Development of a Measurement Scale

The work aims at proposing a methodological procedure for value co-creation measurement. Despite the increasing popularity of the concept, in fact, extant research on value co-creation lacks the elaboration of an accepted framework for its measurement strictly complying with Service-Dominant logic’s assumptions.

An Integrated Framework Toward Public System Governance: Insights from Viable Systems Approach

Abstract This study aims at rereading public governance (PG) and public value management (PVM) in the light of viable systems approach (VSA). Starting from the common points and the dissimilarities between the two theories, an integrated framework for pinpointing the key drivers leading to the emersion of public value co-creation in a public system conception of governance is elaborated. An overview on the emersion of PVM and PG is conducted in order to identify the main features of the new mindset. Then, VSA’s assumptions also are analyzed (with particular focus on their managerial implications) and then subdivided into four macro-areas. The combination of the two theories allows recognition of four levers (with relative postulates) for fostering public value co-creation: (1) strategic selection of actors; (2) establishment of system and relational boundaries; (3) pursuit of the fit strategy-tactics; (4) system governance diffusion. From a theoretical point of view, the study provides suggestions for the creation of a public system theory of governance. Regarding managerial standpoint, revealing the drivers for public value co-creation can aid managers to better elaborate strategies for stimulating actor’s engagement in order to challenge complexity and user’s demands variability.

From B2B to A4A: An Integrated Framework for Viable Value Co-Creation

The work aims at introducing a new framework to analyse the dynamics among agents in marketing-oriented management (Gummesson and Polese, 2009) according to a system view on value co-creation (Vargo and Lusch, 2017). By overcoming the product-oriented distinction between producers and consumers in the B2B (Businessto- Business) and B2C (Business-to-Consumer) classifications, the paper presents the shift to Service-Dominant logic (S-D logic - Vargo and Lusch, 2008; Lusch and Vargo, 2014), many-to-many marketing and the A2A (Actor-to-Actor, Vargo and Lusch, 2016) relationships. Then, the study proposes the broader and collaborative concept of A4A (Actor-for-Actor) and introduces an all-encompassing viewpoint by means of the Viable Systems Approach (VSA - Golinelli, 2000). The proposed A4A framework, which merges S-D logic and VSA, can allow at pinpointing the processes and drivers for successful value co-creation and for turning it into viable value co-creation. In this sense, A4A relationships can lead managers to identify strategies fostering innovation and collaboration for company survival in the long run.

Inside Out: Organizations as Service Systems Equipped with Relational Boundaries

Currently, literature on organizational boundaries is at the center of a heated debate, characterized by a shift from a transactional approach to a broader immaterial perspective centered on the concept of boundless organizations. However, the overestimation of the effects of contemporary dematerialization on business processes can lead to the progressive neglect of the existence of corporate borders. In light of this consideration, the present work aims at proposing a new type of criterion for defining organizational boundaries, halfway between the conception of the firm’s total openness and total closure. To this end, the authors envisage the use of a new interpretive logic defined as “relational”, resulting from the specification of the systemic view (and as the sum of the logic underlying the viable systems approach (VSA)). This approach views the definition of boundaries. Therefore, in the large and intricate scenery of the studies dedicated to organizational boundaries, this work contributes to a better understanding of border selection as an interactive and changeable process capable of pushing organizations towards a greater awareness of their strategic dimension. This paper also offers some insights for future research, suggesting that both scholars and professionals investigate, firstly, new frontiers for the identification of organizational boundaries and, secondly, the possible positive repercussions that new organizational redesign modes could determine for a greater competitive success.