Author(s)

Aurelio Tommasetti, Massimiliano Vesci, Mara Grimaldi, Antonella Monda

Department of Business Science, Management & Innovation Systems, University of Salerno, Fisciano, Italy.

Purpose: The work analyzes the concept of emergence according to ecosystems view. Therefore, the study proposes an integrated framework based on the combination of Viable Systems Approach (VSA) and Service-Dominant logic (S-D logic). The concept of service ecosystems and the identification of their main elements allows at pinpointing the main drivers for value co-creation and innovation that can lead to co-evolution as the key driver to challenge complexity. However, co-evolution is an unintelligible construct that can be observed only in the ongoing processes of value co-creation emergence. Methodology/Approach: Starting from the identification of the common points and of the dissimilarities between S-D logic and VSA, a matching between viable systems and service ecosystems is proposed to reveal the key drivers leading to the emergence of viable value co-creation. Then, the main elements of viable systems and ecosystems are integrated and subdivided into three drivers (value propositions, resource integration, institutions) for viable value co-creation and co-evolution in (eco)systems organizations. Findings: The integration between viable systems and ecosystems permits to reread emergence, intended as a key driver to challenge complexity in VSA, according to ecosystems perspective by leveraging on the notion of value co-creation as an ongoing process that can foster co-evolution over time. In this way, the concept of systems emergence can be reinterpreted in the light of value co-creation notion and based on a viable ecosystems view that can contribute to reveal the main drivers (resource integration, institutions and value propositions) and outcome (innovation and co-evolution) of value co-creation emergence. Implications: From a theoretical point of view, the study enhances a better understanding of emergence by associating the construct (relatively unexplored in literature) with value co-creation by shedding light on the mechanisms underlying service interactions. Regarding managerial stand-point, revealing the drivers to detect the emergence of viable value co-creation can aid managers to elaborate strategies for managing the unexpected and optimizing relationships among actors in order to challenge complexity. Originality/Value: By reinterpreting the concept of emergence according to ecosystems perspective, the work proposes an innovative application of the process of systems emergence to value co-creation mechanisms and rereads innovation as co-evolution, intended as a dynamic output of emergence. The viable ecosystems view on emergence and the identification of its drivers can advance a research agenda for further research aimed at analyzing: 1) the main strategies to challenge complexity; 2) the antecedents and drivers of co-creation; 3) the relationship between value co-creation and innovation.

Emergence, Viable Systems Approach, Service-Dominant Logic, Service Ecosystems, Value Co-Creation

Tommasetti, A. , Vesci, M. , Grimaldi, M. and Monda, A. (2019) Detecting Value Co-Creation Emergence to Foster Innovation. Journal of Service Science and Management, 12, 17-33. doi: 10.4236/jssm.2019.121002.