Resource integration for co-creation between marketing agencies and clients

Hughes, Tim; Vafeas, Mario; Hilton, Toni

Abstract

© 2018, Emerald Publishing Limited. Purpose: Resource integration is a central idea within service-dominant logic (S-D logic), but there has been little scholarly research on this aspect of theory. This paper aims to explore resource integration between marketing agencies and their clients. Design/methodology/approach: In total, nine case studies have been developed using a dyadic approach of interviewing clients and members of their agency teams. This is followed-up with presentations and workshops with over 200 practitioners who validated the findings and added new perspectives. Findings: The key operant resources in the client/agency context have been identified. The ways the operant resources of the actors developed during the course of resource integration, building potential resources for future co-creation are shown. The differing perspectives of the actors to each other’s contribution are highlighted. Research limitations/implications: This study suggests that resource enhancement and development, as a result of integration, is important. For agency/client research, resource integration and development brings new perspectives complementing existing relationship approaches to research. The findings have implications for relationship marketing theory across business-to-business (B2B) contexts. Practical implications: The findings suggest a resource integration approach that could be jointly addressed between agency and client in improving the way they work together. The discourse of co-creation suggests a way for them to talk about how to work together effectively. Suggestions are made for teaching. Originality/value: This study develops the S-D logic theory through exploring resource enhancement and development in a B2B co-creation context. The dyadic nature of the research is novel in studying how marketing agencies and clients work together and new perspectives emerge from the approach.

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Feb 19, 2018
• Online Publication Date: Mar 28, 2018
• Publication Date: May 14, 2018
• Deposit Date: Feb 19, 2018
• Publicly Available Date: Apr 29, 2018
• Journal: European Journal of Marketing
• Print ISSN: 0309-0566
• Publisher: Emerald
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 52
• Issue: 5-6
• Pages: 1329-1354
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/EJM-10-2015-0725
• Keywords: service-dominant logic, resource integration, operant resources, agencies and clients
• Public URL: https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/870972
• Publisher URL: https://doi.org/10.1108/EJM-10-2015-0725
• Contract Date: Feb 19, 2018