Facilitating Factors of Value Co-creation in B- To-b Relationships

Purpose – In b-to-b relationships, value co-creation requires inter-organizational collaboration and combining of resources. The purpose of this paper is to increase knowledge about value co-creation in b-to-b relationships by investigating factors facilitating collaboration and the realization of mutual value in b-to-b relationships. Methodology/approach – The research methodology used in this study is a qualitative case study. The cases consist of the relationships of four companies representing industrial and KIBS services. One of the case companies and its customer are selected for more in-depth analysis and the case description. Qualitative research data are gathered by in-depth interviews and additional data by attending company working groups. Findings – As a result, we found several facilitating factors of value-co-creation in b-to-b relationships, such as long-term commitment to development, a joint roadmap, and transparency of all operations. We propose that the facilitating factors appear to change over time and can be classified as three distinctive but somewhat interlinked types: 1) drivers that initiate companies to seek partners, 2) enablers that make collaboration possible, and 3) enhancers that assist collaboration in actualized b-to-b relationships. Practical implications – The paper provides advice for managers regarding critical success factors for building new business relationships and maintaining present relationships. The benchmarking case presents managers with a practical example of the development of a successful and valuable collaboration between a company and its partner. Originality/value – The paper contributes to current value co-creation discussions by bringing more empirical insight into value co-creation in b-to-b relationships and by proposing three types of facilitating factors (i.e., drivers, enablers, and enhancers) in different phases of the value co-creation process in b-to-b relationships.