AcademicArticleSCO_85018882800

abstract

• © 2017, © Emerald Publishing Limited. Purpose: This paper aims to identify and analyze factors that determine firms¿ commitment to co-create new services with business customers. Design/methodology/approach: A quantitative study based on a scenario method, involving an online survey of French service companies, reveals the determinants of commitment to service co-creation. Findings: Customer benefits and organizational sacrifices, as well as firm-related factors (specialization, partners¿ involvement and innovativeness) correlate with firms¿ commitment to co-create new services. The proposed, empirically grounded model details factors that determine firms¿ commitment to co-create new services with business customers, including innovative culture as a key determinant. Practical implications: The identified factors that affect firms¿ commitment to co-create services can guide managers¿ efforts to improve customer relationships and thus their service innovation processes. Originality/value: This study identifies and analyzes characteristics of committed firms, as well as the benefits and sacrifices they face in co-creating new services, in a novel way. Thus, it helps define the fit between a service offering and business customers¿ participation in new service development contexts.