How Value Co-Creation Happens in B2B Relationships: Success Patterns and Evidence from Global Firms
(A2021-94749)

AUTHORS

Mehak Gandhi, University of St.Gallen; Christoph Senn, University of St.Gallen

ABSTRACT

While collaborative efforts with B2B customers can increase an organization’s global competitiveness and enhance revenue growth, there is a lack of understanding on how the pattern of growth unfolds and how a strategic fit between a firm and its B2B customer can be created. This paper aims to answer this question by hypothesing that there is an S-Curve relationship between the relationship performance of a firm with its B2B customer and the corresponding increase in the share-of-wallet of the customer. Using the data from 100 relationship dyads from nine global firms, we show that a focus on high relationship performance through value co-creation with the customer leads to a corresponding boost in the revenue growth. This paper contributes to the value co-creation research stream by providing empirical evidence of the success factors that are crucial dimensions for a strategic fit with the customer and constitute measurable B2B value co-creation.