Demystifying consumer digital cocreated value: Social presence theory-informed framework and propositions

Abstract

While cocreation research proliferates, existing studies fail to isolate its manifestation through digital (vs non-digital) platforms. Moreover, extant research predominantly explores the cocreation process (vs its outcome of cocreated value), which therefore merits further scrutiny, particularly in the digital context. Based on these gaps, we explore consumer digital cocreated value (CDCV), which reflects the consumer-perceived value that arises by interacting, collaborating, or communicating with or through digital platforms (touch-points). We classify digital platforms as (1) human-to-human platforms (H2HPs; for example, social media), and (2) human-to-machine platforms (H2MPs), which comprise the sub-types of (a) robotic process automation-based platforms (e.g. call centers) and (b) machine/deep learning-based platforms (e.g. service robots). We next compose a social presence theory-informed framework that explores the effect of perceived platform intimacy and immediacy on CDCV for our proposed platforms. We formalize the framework’s associations by developing a set of Propositions, and conclude by discussing important implications that arise from this research.