From B2B to A4A : an Integrated Framework for Viable Value Co-Creation

The work aims at introducing a new framework to analyse the dynamics among agents in marketing-oriented management (Gummesson and Polese, 2009) according to a system view on value co-creation (Vargo and Lusch, 2017). By overcoming the product-oriented distinction between producers and consumers in the B2B (Businessto- Business) and B2C (Business-to-Consumer) classifications, the paper presents the shift to Service-Dominant logic (S-D logic - Vargo and Lusch, 2008; Lusch and Vargo, 2014), many-to-many marketing and the A2A (Actor-to-Actor, Vargo and Lusch, 2016) relationships. Then, the study proposes the broader and collaborative concept of A4A (Actor-for-Actor) and introduces an all-encompassing viewpoint by means of the Viable Systems Approach (VSA - Golinelli, 2000). The proposed A4A framework, which merges S-D logic and VSA, can allow at pinpointing the processes and drivers for successful value co-creation and for turning it into viable value co-creation.

In this sense, A4A relationships can lead managers to identify strategies fostering innovation and collaboration for company survival in the long run. [Publishers' text].