Tensions and trade-offs in multi-actor service ecosystems

Janet R. McColl-Kennedy, Lilliemay Cheung and Leonard V. Coote

Journal of Business Research, 2020, vol. 121, issue C, 655-666

Abstract: The purpose of this article is to: (1) understand tensions and trade-offs that actors make through activities and interactions in their service ecosystem stemming from differing worldviews; (2) explicate how actors resolve tensions through trade-offs, identifying focal relationships and the relative influence of focal actors; (3) propose a conceptual framework of tensions and trade-offs in multi-actor service ecosystems. Drawing on Institutional Logics and Practice Theory this article provides new insights into multi-actor service ecosystems identifying tensions and trade-offs that actors make with other actors designed to achieve desired outcomes. In a first, authors demonstrate that actors exhibit different forms of focal relationships, with actors’ worldviews influencing roles and practices. Misalignment of worldviews can result in significant tensions. However, reconciling conflicting goals and practices is not always realistic or beneficial due largely to enduring worldviews of focal actors. Practical and theoretical implications are provided with an agenda to guide future research.

Keywords: Multi-actor; Service ecosystem; Worldviews; Focal relationship; Focal actor; Choices; Customer journey (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (8)

Downloads: (external link)
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0148296320304288
Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:jbrese:v:121:y:2020:i:c:p:655-666

DOI: 10.1016/j.jbusres.2020.06.055

Access Statistics for this article

Journal of Business Research is currently edited by A. G. Woodside

More articles in Journal of Business Research from Elsevier
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Catherine Liu ().