Types of Consumer Operant Resources and Co-creation in Dialogical Service Relationships

Abstract

This study investigates different types of operant resources and their effects on cocreation by considering the moderation effects of cocreation potential and the provider’s positive attitude. The contextual nature of operant resources is discussed based on how consumers activate resources in different service situations. The first study explores whether context-specific resources contribute to cocreation more than general resources. This hypothesis is found to be valid only for certain service contexts. In-depth interviews are conducted in the second study to understand the phenomenon more deeply. The qualitative study reveals three distinct types of resources: general, context-specific, and interpersonal resources. In the third study, a scenario-based experimental study is conducted to test the hypotheses, which are confirmed. We conclude that context-specific resources more directly shape cocreation, moderated by perceived level of cocreation potential. The relationship between potential and resources is then moderated by the provider’s positive attitude.