Authors: Anne Jalkala; Leena Aarikka-Stenroos
This paper examines the role of customers as co-marketers in BtoBmarkets and triadic value creation in reference networks. Reference networks consist of sellers, buyers, and reference customers.The paper draws on the industrial network and value co-creation literature and prior research on customer references. We develop understanding on value co-creation in reference networksthrough an extensive qualitative dataset consisting of over 70interviewsof suppliers and buyers of knowledge intensive services and solutions. The paper contributesto the literature on value co-creation by providing a more structured understanding on customers’ role as co-marketers in BtoB markets and by developing a framework which delineates how actors in a reference network co-create value for each other. We propose that reference customer as co-marketers provide information aboutthe realized value-in-use, such as functionality of the solution in operation, return-on-investment and organizational learning.
Journal: n.a. (n.a. – n.a.)
Web Address: n.a.
Publish Year: 2012
Conference: Rome, Italy (2012)