Consumers’ Role in Value Co-creation Through Participation and Knowledge: A Healthcare Perspective

Previous studies have only focused on consumer participation as part of the consumers’ role in engaging in service delivery. Yet, what is unknown is whether the level of resources or knowledge and skills across services, customers and situations influence the co-creation of the consumer. From a service-dominant logic perspective, the purpose of this research is to expand the literature on consumers’ role in service delivery by exploring value co-creation in low versus high knowledge context in healthcare experiences. As a co-creator of value (Vargo and Lusch 2008), the author proposes that the higher the level of participation and level of operant resources a consumer contributes, the higher degree of value co-creation. Thus, a theoretical framework is put forth for value co-creation in low versus high knowledge situations with the level of participation and operant resources of a consumer.