Co-creation of value in the digital age: disruption management in B2B and B2G relationships
Fachartikel 711
Fachbereich
Betriebswirtschaftslehre
Fachrichtung
Marketing/Absatz
Artikel
2018
Sprache
englisch
Co Autoren
Christine Falkenreck
Beschreibung
Internet of Things (IoT) research investigates the idea that a wide array of devices can be interconnected
to enable these entities to be located, identified, and even operated without any human interference. This
technology is universally seen as transforming the manufacturing and services sectors. Questions about
whether—and, if yes, how—the IoT impacts on business networks in Business-to-Business (B2B)
relationships have not yet been settled, due to a lack of empirical marketing-focused studies. Is
“connectivity for anything” perceived as an additional, co-created value in manufacturer-buyer
relationships? Based on research data from B2B and business-to-government (B2G) customers
stemming from two manufacturers active in different business fields as well as several German plant
operators and their suppliers, our study addresses the following questions: 1. Considering manufacturers
and professional buying organizations, do the disruptive challenges of the digital age lead to relationship
asymmetries in customer–supplier relationships? 2. With reference to disruption management -is there
a difference in the acceptance of digital services between different B2B and B2G groups (e.g.,
manufacturing industry, process industry)? 3. In customer acceptance of IoT, does it make a difference
in customer attitude towards IoT-related services if the product, plant or service is standardized or
customized to requirements? 4. The goal is to communicate using the preferred channels of the
customers. Considering that the volume of information has risen—how can commercial digital
communication build trust? We finally propose a four-step approach to more successfully implement
IoT-related projects.
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