Dealing with discrepancies of a brand in change:recomposition of value and meanings in the network

Abstract Brands become shaped by interaction processes in the networks in which they are embedded. Research addressing this phenomenon has departed both from a co-creation angle, and to some extent by examining co-destruction. In this chapter, we adopt a process-oriented multiple stakeholder view to brands and explore the concept of brand discrepancies, i.e. inconsistencies and disruptions that can prompt brand co-destruction and lead to a reconfiguration of meanings and value in the brand’s ecosystem. The chapter presents a longitudinal case study from the context of food distribution to illustrate the ever-changing nature of brand reality. The findings add to the brand co-creation discussion by showing that brand co-destruction is not always negative, but the reconfiguration, recomposition, and reorchestration of brand meanings and value can also be seen as positive outcomes of brand discrepancies. These findings depict brand management as a process of orchestration in a multi-stakeholder setting, rather than as something conducted unilaterally by a brand governor

Customer centricity in mobile banking:a customer experience perspective

Abstract Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to increase understanding about how to improve customer value and to make mobile banking services a profitable business for banks and other financial actors. The study explores the user experiences and related value of a new mobile banking service. Design/methodology/approach: The study is implemented as a case study that is phenomenological in nature and linked to an interpretive consumer study. Empirical data were collected through 14 semi-structured theme interviews and a diary method. The data were analysed by using a content analysis method. Findings: The findings illustrate the importance of customer centricity in the mobile banking context by identifying customer experience and related value in a new mobile banking service. The study extends current understanding of customer experience as a complex and multifaceted phenomenon by including value related to process, the use situation and the outcome, and it identifies temporality as influencing and connecting all these aspects. The study identifies several aspects that help us to understand what creates value for the customer while using mobile banking services. Research limitations/implications: As one limitation, this study was conducted in a developed country and the findings could be different in an emerging market context. Another limitation relates to the data, as the interviewees’ age range is quite limited, ranging between 20 and 40 years. However, they represent the consumers who normally use mobile services well and thus provide reliable data about their use experiences. Practical implications: As the banking industry is currently experiencing rapid and widespread changes and customers become more demanding, it is crucial for banks and other mobile service providers to understand the everyday lives of their customers and to integrate their future services into the customers’ value creation processes as smoothly and inseparably as possible. The findings of this study will help banks and other financial institutions to develop their strategies and operations in regard to customer-oriented thinking, which will further help them to create long-term, profitable customer relationships and improve future viability. Originality/value: The study contributes to bank marketing research and extends previous research on customer-centred service marketing by providing a framework that identifies the value related to customer experience in a new mobile banking service. It explores the experiences of actual mobile banking service customers’ and the related value, and thus provides original implications for both theory and practice

Acceptance of online health services for self-help in the context of mental health:understanding young adults’ experiences

Abstract This article explores the understanding of the acceptance of online health services from a self-help perspective in the context of mental health. By examining the experiences of young adults, this article develops a framework to leverage the current understanding of the factors that would support the acceptance and use of these types of services. To this end, a multidisciplinary perspective incorporating knowledge from the service marketing, health, and information systems literature is used. The results suggest that the production of online services that are meant for self-help purposes necessitates a focus on the acceptance of technology and, more importantly, instrumental value creation, as the purpose of using these types of services should be better understood and supported by technological solutions. This study also identifies several technological features supporting both the acceptance of technology and users’ ability to achieve well-being. Furthermore, when developing services for health self-help purposes, the issue of branding to increase acceptance should be assessed. From a user perspective, there appears to be a difference regarding whether the services are positioned as health services or as wellness services

Trust in blockchain-enabled exchanges:future directions in blockchain marketing

Abstract Prior research typically positions blockchain technology as enabling a trustless exchange environment without specifically investigating how blockchain technology provides trust and what makes the data in a blockchain “tamperproof” and “immutable.” This article serves to address these research gaps by conducting semi-structured interviews with 18 informants who have had at least three years of project experience with blockchain-enabled exchanges. Our findings uncover three unique aspects of blockchain that enable trust in exchange vs. a traditional exchange: (1) trust in exchange actors: mathematics and cryptography vs. human guardians within institutions, (2) trust in exchange actions: information transparency enabling tamperproof and immutable data vs. information asymmetry, and (3) trust in exchange assets: digital vs. manual escrows for verifying ownership of valuable goods. This research is vital for marketing scholars and practitioners who seek to understand the rise of threats to trust regarding online advertising, customer trust, privacy, and digital rights

Exploring potential changes in the business model:the impacts of using human-centered personal data as a resource

Abstract Purpose: Services are evolving from generic to personalized, and the reverse use of customer data has been discussed in both academia and industry for the past few years. The aim of this study is to understand how personal data is working as a resource for business model transformation in emerging service ecosystems. Design/methodology/approach: The primary data was gathered over the time in the recorded and transcripted workshops, in which future personal data-based services were conceptualized by analyzing future scenarios from a business perspective. Findings: The results have implications to theory and practice, indicating that adopting personal data management principles requires transformation of the business model, which, if successfully managed, may provide access to more resources, potential to offer better value, and additional customer channels. Research limitations/implications: Being a single case study imposes restrictions to the generalizability of the results. Expanding the scope of this study to include actors from different sectors would improve the validity of the research. Social implications: The study views the future business landscape with human centered personal data management lenses. The exploration of the effects of an approach that benefits both people and businesses provides a positive societal aspect. Originality/value: While a few studies have examined the linkage between business models and personal data usage, no empirical studies have looked at how a company should change their business model due to new data access. This paper shows one way to think about this issue

Stories in co-creating corporate brand identity

Purpose Storytelling is a natural way for humans to express ourselves — we have always told stories to each other (e.g. Shankar et al. 2001; Green 2006; Kent 2015). It is part of our cultures as an entertainment but also as means to pass e.g. knowledge and values (Spear & Roper 2016). Well-told stories and great myths (Holt 2004, 28) can raise emotions (Burke 1969, 55–59; Green 2004; Green 2006) and engage listeners to use their senses (Hiltunen 2002, XVI). Among organization researchers, storytelling has been studied as a part of organizational identity formation already for long (Boje 1991; Coupland & Brown 2004; Johansen 2014) but the subject is still relatively new for marketing researchers. There are modest signs that stories can be used to build the corporate brand identity (Janssen et al. 2012) and the identity formation is constant different stories acting as the fuel for the process (Coupland & Brown 2004; Johansen 2014). Even though companies are recommended to arise and lead conversations between stakeholders and the brand (Golant 2012) storytelling is not fully understood or investigated yet in corporate brand identity context. In this paper, we aim to explore how stories told by different stakeholders can support the co-creation of corporate brand identity

Towards a holistic customer value approach in managing public health care services:a developers’ view

Abstract Purpose: Recent literature within public service logic has called for more explicit conceptualisation of customer value in public services. This study aims to fill this gap by examining how the customer value approach can be applied in the management of public health care services. Design/methodology/approach: This study is a qualitative case study of management of public health care services in Finland. The authors interviewed 17 regional health care service developers and analyzed the interview data using thematic analysis. Findings: The study suggests five propositions for applying customer value approach from the marketing literature in public health care service management. The study enables a deeper understanding of customer value creation in this context and improvement of public health care services. Originality/value: This study contributes to the public management research in general and public service logic research in particular by suggesting what constitutes customer value in public health care services

Incorporating digital self-services into integrated mental health care:a physician’s perspective

Abstract Purpose: This paper aims to enhance the current understanding of digital self-services (computerized cognitive behavioral therapy [cCBT]) and how they could be better incorporated into integrated mental health care from the physician’s perspective. Service marketing and information systems literature are combined in the context of mental health-care delivery. Design/methodology/approach: An online survey of 412 Finnish physicians was undertaken to understand physicians’ acceptance of cCBT. The study applies thematic analysis and structural equation modeling to answer its research questions. Findings: Adopting a service marketing perspective helps understand how digital self-services can be incorporated in health-care delivery. The findings suggest that value creation within this context should be seen as an intertwined process where value co-creation and self-creation should occur seamlessly at different stages. Furthermore, the usefulness of having a value self-creation supervisor was identified. These value creation logic changes should be understood and enabled to incorporate digital self-services into integrated mental health-care delivery. Research limitations/implications: Because health-care systems vary across countries, strengthening understanding through exploring different contexts is crucial. Practical implications: Assistance should be provided to physicians to enable better understanding of the application and suitability of digital self-service as a treatment option (such as cCBT) within their profession. Additionally, supportive facilitating conditions should be created to incorporate them as part of integrated care chain. Social implications: Digital self-services have the potential to serve goals beyond routine activities in a health-care setting. Originality/value: This study demonstrates the relevance of service theories within the health-care context and improves understanding of value creation in digital self-services. It also offers a profound depiction of the barriers to acceptance

End-customer value restructuring the financial service supply chain

Abstract Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to examine how the customer value experience conveys the restructuring of the service network in the banking industry. The banking sector has often been one of the early adopters of IT in terms of connecting their services and customers. While developing digital services, however, banks are also concerned that they are losing contact with their customers. At the same time, fast developing technologies enable new companies to enter the industry to offer their services. As a result, the service supply chains in the banking industry appear to be restructured. Design/methodology/approach: The empirical data were collected by using a qualitative method of focus groups and interviews with end-users of banking services. Findings: According to findings, customers value a holistic approach to the services, and such a holistic value cannot necessarily be provided by a single banking service provider because the ecosystem around such services is becoming more complex. Practical implications: Service supply chains need to be restructured based on the end-customer value experience. Originality/value: This study contributes to value research and especially to the discussion in service experiences by addressing some of the disruptions happening at the industry level. The paper shows that the focus should be on customer value because banks should understand that their services are not enough for the customers—they are only seen as banks, not as providers of the holistic value that is required from the customer’s point of view