Smart Mobility: Contradictions in Value Co-Creation

Technical progress is disrupting the mobility sector. New door-to-door (D2D) mobility integrators promise to offer smart mobility by packaging together different mobility services such as car-sharing and public transport. However, mobility providers up to now have rarely entered into value co-creation relationships. As a result, citizens are offered mobility that cannot be considered truly smart. Although value co-creation has been the subject of numerous studies taking the service-dominant logic perspective, this research has often lacked empirical evidence. To close this gap, we conceptualize value co-creation between mobility providers and a D2D mobility integrator by applying Activity Theory. Based on a qualitative study in the German mobility sector, we identify several inhibitors of value co-creation from the viewpoint of mobility providers. In addition, we show how these inhibitors serve as triggers for adaptations, ultimately leading to the formation of a value co-creation relationship.

Automated summary

Technical progress is disrupting the mobility sector, and D2D mobility integrators offer smart mobility by integrating different mobility services. However, mobility providers have rarely participated in value co-creation relationships, resulting in less truly smart mobility for citizens. This study applies Activity Theory to conceptualize value co-creation between mobility providers and D2D mobility integrators, and identifies inhibitors and triggers for value co-creation based on a qualitative study in the German mobility sector.