Abstract:
Vargo and Lusch (2004) propose that the dominant logic in marketing is shifting from the traditional goods dominant logic to one in which intangible resources, co-creation of value and relationships are central. They called this logic a service-dominant perspective. The central tenets of Service dominant logic are that service is the fundamental basis of exchange, and value is co-created by the supplier and the consumer. However, research in the actual practises of firms applying Service dominant logic is lacking. This thesis addresses the research gap by examining the value co-creating practices of firms belonging to a Collective Marketing Initiative. Data was collected from ten semi-structured qualitative interviews, using a multiple case study research design, and the firm as the unit of analysis. The findings show that the key reasons for the firms to join the initiative were market development, and technical collaborations. Although a series of challenges have been identified by the data analyses, the suggestions are directed at firms belonging to Collective Initiatives.