Users' Involvement in Value Co‐Creation: The More the Better?

Literature on value co‐creation often postulates that a greater degree of co‐production increases the potential of value co‐creation. To test this hypothesis, we build a computational model of value proposition inspired by March's model of organizational learning. The model allows us to represent various cases of co‐creation: (i) without co‐production, (ii) with downstream co‐production, and (iii) with upstream co‐production. Repeated simulations are partly supporting the literature. On one hand, we find that deeper involvement of consumers into the value offering process increases the potential for value co‐creation. One the other hand, we find that co‐production can increase inequalities of satisfaction among consumers. Also, while scenarios with learning consumers offer the highest potential for value co‐creation, a negative relationship emerges between the number of learning consumers and organizational performance.