Abstract:
Creating value for stakeholders, especially within healthcare technology adoption, is a fundamental element of business activities. The value associated with technology adoption has benefits to society at large through improvements to existing processes and outcomes. The continuously changing markets emphasize the role of stakeholder involvement in the value co-creation process, yet, lacking evidence in animal healthcare research. High interest in animal healthcare is observable in the New Zealand dairy industry due to its considerable contribution towards exportation. However, the involvement of multi-stakeholders in herd health management is a wicked problem due to a lack of problem definition and a single solution for disease control and management. In light of the importance of dairy health in New Zealand, this study utilizes an explorative case-study design to explore value co-creation with stakeholders across complex networks with a focus on veterinary diagnostics adoption. This study unraveled the salience and roles of key stakeholders and identified six groups involved in the adoption decision process, which indicate a need to balance stakeholder interests in value co-creation. Findings from participants' interviews unveil value perceptions of veterinary diagnostics, which can be categorized into four dimensions: contextual factors, advanced technologies, strong evidence-backing, and stakeholder connections. Themes contained in these dimensions broadly supported the aspects of value creation in marketing: value-in-exchange, value-in-use, and value-in-context. Subsequently, this study contributes to theories of value co-creation within stakeholder networks suggestive of a system-centered view. This can provide managers and future innovators with a deeper insight into the decision-making processes for veterinary diagnostic adoption. Results highlighted the importance of early involvement of all stakeholders to develop user-centered technology and gain insight into complex networks.