Collaborative orientation to advance value co-creation in buyer–seller relationships

This study extends the theory of value co-creation by investigating how collaborative orientation advances value co-creation drivers that benefit both buyers and sellers in competitive markets. With direct field research, conducted in a real-life context, the authors interviewed (using a mirrored, semi-structured protocol) buyer–seller respondents at multiple levels in 1 seller and 10 buyer firms. Ten cases developed from these data reflect how buyers and sellers develop value and share resources to advance value co-creation during a formal buyer–seller relationship effort. Our findings suggest four propositions and identify four drivers that may advance value co-creation in buyer–seller relationships: (a) mutual understanding of industry problems through continuous interactions during the relationship period; (b) ability to develop and leverage knowledge and resources; (c) share asset-specific investments; and (d) shared long-term goals. This article extends previous resource-based models and provides novel insights into value co-creation.