Classification of Service Co-creation Systems: an Integrative Approach

Sophisticated service systems which utilise service delivery through social networks require organizations to understand co-creation systems. This paper classifies service co-creation systems based on user affordances in service production and delivery i.e. service integration mechanisms, and collaboration strategies. Through a systematic literature review, we identify three classifications for service co-creation systems, namely cooperative co-creation (CS1), coordinative co-creation (CS2) and collaborative co-creation (CS3) service systems. We find a set of seven dimensions that describe how instances of service co-creation systems vary across the three classifications: Network Focus, Service, Resources, Value, Roles, Interaction Mode, and Engagement Mode. A key finding is that service cocreation systems vary considerably in user engagement and in how value is distributed between stakeholders, ranging from CS1 where the business asks users to complete tasks through to CS3, where users provide services to each other and the business only facilitates.