The effect of interdependencies of service ecosystems’ actors on value co-creation mechanisms: the moderating role of trust in service innovation in networks

Abstract

This research will scrutinize how interactions among many actors in value networks or service ecosystems can affect value co-creation mechanisms. Simply put, a proposed service ecosystem encompasses various actors such as customers, suppliers and competitors, to name a few, who interact to create value mutually and provide joint benefits. Generally, the notion of benefit and its inherent risk of opportunistic behaviour may cast a shadow over these interactions with the element of ambiguity. However, forging a trustworthy and interdependent relationship can mitigate the possible vagueness. Because such equivocal interactions will mostly eclipse the efficiency and effectiveness of joint value creation, the present research also aims to investigate this moderation effect, and it is expected to find an appropriate process to ameliorate current actors’ relationships, theoretically and empirically. Furthermore, it suggests practical and useful implications for business owners, corporations’ managerial and marketing departments, and the customer community. Its proposed research outcomes will also contribute significantly to related scholarly literature.

Keywords: value co-creation, service innovation, trust