Co-creación de valor en las relaciones entre empresas: un enfoque de tríada en la industria del mueble

Esta Tesis investiga el rol de la co-Creación de Valor en el contexto B2B y sus efectos sobre variables relacionales clásicas en marketing (Confianza, Compromiso, Calidad Relacional, Satisfacción Social y Satisfacción Económica), a partir de un enfoque comparado para el sector del mueble basado en la tríada industrial formada por el proveedor de materiales, el fabricante de mobiliario y el cliente distribuidor de muebles. De esta manera, se estudia la percepción del fabricante de mobiliario sobre su relación con el principal proveedor y con el principal cliente, a partir de una muestra de 113 empresas, de las cuales 77 son fabricantes, del Observatorio Español del Mercado del Mueble. La Tesis plantea cuatro modelos que exploran efectos alternativos de la co-Creación de Valor en la relación B2B. Para ello, sigue una metodología PLS-SEM, esto es, mediante ecuaciones estructurales basadas en mínimos cuadrados parciales, dado el estadio teórico en construcción y el carácter exploratorio de los modelos presentados. Desde un punto de vista académico, responde al interés estratégico de la co-Creación de Valor y aporta avances metateóricos en el contexto B2B a un nivel de agregación meso (de la industria o el mercado) y a nivel micro de forma empírica (al centrarse en el fabricante de muebles nacional). Además, la Tesis aborda las brechas observadas en la literatura, contribuyendo al desarrollo teórico sobre co-Creación de Valor, y se reduce la distancia conceptual existente en la literatura en su aplicación en contextos B2B frente a B2C, y también en el ámbito industrial manufacturero frente al de servicios. Para ello, la investigación adopta un enfoque de tríada con valoraciones intrapersonales (un mismo sujeto valorando dos situaciones, dado el rol relativo del fabricante en la cadena de suministro entre sus proveedores y sus clientes), muy poco frecuentes por su dificultad metodológica. Conceptualmente, esta Tesis actualiza las variables relacionales para su aplicación en el ámbito industrial, mediante la delimitación del concepto de co-Creación de Valor, la consideración de una doble vertiente en la Satisfacción (Social y Económica) y la configuración de un constructo de Calidad Relacional de segundo orden que incorpora un componente afectivo. Los resultados evidencian efectos alternativos a los observados en contribuciones anteriores y, principalmente, efectos antecedentes y mediadores de la co-Creación de Valor. Además, permiten identificar diferencias en la percepción del fabricante respecto a sus principales socios en sus relaciones “hacia arriba” y “hacia abajo” en la cadena de suministro. Finalmente, las implicaciones gerenciales de esta Tesis son relevantes: a) introduce herramientas adaptadas para la medición de los conceptos relacionales en PYMES industriales; b) evidencia la importancia de la co-Creación de Valor como estrategia de mejora competitiva necesaria ante cambios del paradigma productivo; c) permite conectar las estrategias B2B y B2C; y, d) orienta el alineamiento de distintos actores en el desarrollo de modelos de negocio basados en ecosistemas de valor (modelos de economía circular, mercados de subproductos de simbiosis industrial, plataformas producto-servicio basadas en habilitadores digitales de industria 4.0, etc.). Los resultados de la investigación han sido publicados en una serie de tres artículos en revistas internacionales con alto factor de impacto, indexadas en las principales bases de datos de referencia a nivel internacional, siendo una Tesis como compendio de publicaciones. Además, esta Tesis cuenta con mención industrial, dada su aplicación directa en la industria del mueble española.This Thesis investigates the role of co-Creation of Value in the B2B context and its effects on classic relational variables in marketing (Trust, Commitment, Relational Quality, Social Satisfaction and Economic Satisfaction), from a comparative approach for the furniture sector, based on the industrial triad formed by the material supplier, the furniture manufacturer and the furniture distributor client. Thus, the perception of the furniture manufacturer about its relationship with the main supplier and with the main client is studied, based on a sample of 113 companies, of which 77 are manufacturers, from the Spanish Furniture Market Observatory. The Thesis proposes four models that explore alternative effects of the co-Creation of Value in the B2B relationship. To do this, a PLS-SEM methodology is followed, that is, through structural equations based on partial least squares, given the theoretical stage under construction and the exploratory nature of these models. From an academic point of view, it responds to the strategic interest of the co-Creation of Value and contributes metatheoretical advances in the B2B context at a meso level of aggregation (of the industry or the market) and empirically at a micro level (by focusing on the national furniture manufacturer). In addition, the Thesis addresses the gaps observed in the literature, contributing to the theoretical development on co-Creation of Value, and reduces the conceptual distance existing in the literature in its application in B2B in comparison to B2C contexts, and also in the manufacturing industrial field in comparison to services. Therefore, the research adopts a triad approach with intrapersonal assessments (the same subject assessing two situations, given the relative role of the manufacturer in the supply chain between its suppliers and its customers), very rare due to its methodological difficulty. Conceptually, this Thesis updates the relational variables for their application in the industrial field, by defining the concept of co-Creation of Value, the consideration of a double aspect in Satisfaction (Social and Economic), and the configuration of Relationship Quality as a second-order construct that incorporates an affective component. The results show alternative effects to those observed in previous contributions and, mainly, antecedent and mediating effects of the co-Creation of Value. In addition, they allow identifying differences in the perception of the manufacturer with respect to its main partners in their relationships "up" and "down" in the supply chain. Finally, the managerial implications of this Thesis are relevant: a) it introduces adapted tools for the measurement of relational concepts in industrial SMEs; b) evidences the importance of the co-Creation of Value as a necessary competitive improvement strategy in the face of changes in the productive paradigm; c) allows connecting B2B and B2C strategies; and, d) guides the alignment of different actors in the development of business models based on value ecosystems (circular economy models, industrial symbiosis by-product markets, product-service platforms based on digital enablers of industry 4.0, etc.). The results of the research have been published in a series of three articles in international journals with a high impact factor, indexed in the main international reference databases, being a Thesis as a compendium of publications. In addition, this thesis has an industrial mention, given its direct application in the Spanish furniture industry

Value co-creation and satisfaction in b2b context: a triadic study in the furniture industry

Research on Value co-Creation (VcC) has been more extensive in B2C (business-to-consumer) than in B2B (business-to-business) and mainly for service contexts, under dyadic approaches (supplier–client). Moreover, research has paid little attention to the impacts of VcC on Satisfaction in its duality: Social and Economic Satisfaction. As a novelty, this study examines VcC in B2B industrial relationships in the triad of supplier–manufacturer–client. A model proposes VcC as an antecedent of manufacturer’s Economic Satisfaction, with the mediating role of Social Satisfaction. The model is empirically contrasted for a sample of 77 firms from an industrial panel—the Spanish Furniture Market Observatory. The triadic approach is depicted with bi-directional relationships of the manufacturer with its main supplier and main client). Results evidence that VcC and Economic Satisfaction are greater in the manufacturer–main client relationship. Moreover, the manufacturer’s Satisfaction relies on its social dimension, which has a key role to produce Economic Satisfaction. Results also show asymmetry in the supply chain, different from those with the main supplier. Implications for managers invite to achieve a long-term VcC chain with all business partners, the focus being on manufacturer’s social dimension, so the triad supplier–manufacturer–client could be better aligned

Value Co-Creation and Satisfaction in B2B Context: A Triadic Study in the Furniture Industry

Research on Value co-Creation (VcC) has been more extensive in B2C (business-to-consumer) than in B2B (business-to-business) and mainly for service contexts, under dyadic approaches (supplier–client). Moreover, research has paid little attention to the impacts of VcC on Satisfaction in its duality: Social and Economic Satisfaction. As a novelty, this study examines VcC in B2B industrial relationships in the triad of supplier–manufacturer–client. A model proposes VcC as an antecedent of manufacturer’s Economic Satisfaction, with the mediating role of Social Satisfaction. The model is empirically contrasted for a sample of 77 firms from an industrial panel—the Spanish Furniture Market Observatory. The triadic approach is depicted with bi-directional relationships of the manufacturer with its main supplier and main client). Results evidence that VcC and Economic Satisfaction are greater in the manufacturer–main client relationship. Moreover, the manufacturer’s Satisfaction relies on its social dimension, which has a key role to produce Economic Satisfaction. Results also show asymmetry in the supply chain, different from those with the main supplier. Implications for managers invite to achieve a long-term VcC chain with all business partners, the focus being on manufacturer’s social dimension, so the triad supplier–manufacturer–client could be better aligned

More is not always better: The impact of value co‐creation fit on B2B and B2C customer satisfaction

Organizations increasingly rely on customer involvement in the value creation process (i.e., co-creation) to enhance customer satisfaction and differentiate themselves from competitors. While past research has largely indicated that more co-creation is beneficial, some have suggested yet not empirically validated that excess co-creation may negatively impact customers. Applying the service-dominant logic, two studies (B2B and B2C customers) offer insight into the appropriate levels of the co-production and value-in-use dimensions of co-creation. For both B2B and B2C customers, polynomial regression and surface plot analyses indicate an inverted U-shaped relationship between value co-creation and satisfaction, establishing that more co-creation is beneficial only up to a point. As such, we inform managers of factors that can cause the relationship between co-creation and satisfaction to peak and then turn negative. Further, customer expertise and process enjoyment moderate this relationship for B2C (but not B2B) customers, thereby offering ways to mitigate the negative effects of excess co-creation for end-customers. The studies also highlight the importance of value co-creation “fit” between the customer\u27s expected and experienced levels of co-creation. Interestingly, positive misfit (i.e., excess co-creation) retains a stronger negative influence on customer satisfaction than negative misfit (i.e., insufficient co-creation) for both B2B and B2C customers