Consumer dominant value creation: A theoretical response to the recent call for a consumer dominant logic for marketing

Thomas Boysen Anker, Leigh Sparks, Luiz Moutinho, Christian Grönroos

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleScientificpeer-review

80 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Purpose
– The purpose of this paper is to provide an analysis of the ontological and semantic foundations of consumer-dominant value creation to clarify the extent to which the call for a distinct consumer-dominant logic (CDL) is justified. This paper discusses consumer-driven value creation (value-in-use) across three different marketing logics: product-dominant logic (PDL), service-dominant logic (SDL) and CDL. PDL conceptualises value as created by firms and delivered to consumers through products. SDL frames consumer value as a function of direct provider-consumer interaction, or consumer-driven chains of action indirectly facilitated by the provider. Recently, the research focus has been turning to consumer-dominant value creation. While there is agreement on the significance of this phenomenon, there is disagreement over whether consumer-dominant value creation is an extension of SDL or calls for a distinct CDL.

Design/methodology/approach
– This is a conceptual paper, which is informed by five cases of consumer dominance. The cases are used to clarify rather than verify the analysis of the ontological and semantic underpinnings of consumer-dominant value creation.

Findings
– The ontological and semantic analysis demonstrates that PDL and SDL have insufficient explanatory power to accommodate substantial aspects of consumer-dominant value creation. By implication, this supports the call for a distinct CDL.

Originality/value
– This paper contributes to the ongoing theoretical debate over the explanatory power of SDL by demonstrating that SDL is unable to accommodate important ontological and semantic aspects of consumer-driven value creation.
Original languageEnglish
Peer-reviewed scientific journalEuropean Journal of Marketing
Volume49
Issue number3/4
Pages (from-to)532-560
Number of pages29
ISSN0309-0566
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2015
MoE publication typeA1 Journal article - refereed

Keywords

  • 512 Business and Management
  • Service-dominant logic
  • Consumer-dominant logic
  • Consumer value
  • Marketing logics
  • Product-dominant logic

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