Need a hand? Investigate the role of boundary object in co-creation process

Abstract

　　Boundaries present as sameness and discontinuity to distinguish systems Every (eco)system as well as the social world constrains and coordinates itself through institutions – “the rule of the game” – in its own domain However boundary-crossing activities are inevitable in value-creating service exchanges In the sense of reaching a successful service exchange it signals collision negotiation and consensus appropriation between boundaries under a specific context Thus possibility of going back and forth among aforementioned elements in the process of value co-creation is conjointly considered This further suggests the adaptable characteristic of boundaries 　　However rare existing studies discuss the inconsistency of boundaries along co-creating process To address this deficiency this study employs service-dominant logic and boundary objects – a sort of arrangement that allow different groups who wish to cooperate to work together – as the lens to investigate cross-system co-creating process This study adopts case study method to provide empirical evidence performing dynamism Four cases are employed with consistent analyzing and presentation process to address abundance and integrity 　　Moreover this study aims to respond to Vargo and Lusch’s (2017) call for midrange theories concerning service-dominant logic and intentions to contribute to value co-creating practices with the roles and usability of boundary objects The discussion theoretical and managerial implications and conclusions as well as limitations and suggestions are stated in the last chapter Interplays between boundary object and actor resource integration and institutions are in discussion Theoretically contributes to boundary object as contextual resource and the concept of boundary object journey to investigate in co-creation process; managerial implication provides insights to utilize co-creation This research concludes with urging the adoption of boundary object’s view in investigating interaction among co-creation process with the adoption of boundary object’s journey view among co-creation process

Date of Award	2019
Original language	English
Supervisor	Hsin-Hui Chou (Supervisor)