The drivers of prosumer innovativeness and its impact on value co-creation

Abstract: Purpose – The purpose of this study is to find what the drivers of prosumer innovativeness are and how prosumer innovativeness impacts value co-creation. To achieve this purpose, the study aimed to answer the following two research questions: “How does prosumer innovativeness impact value co-creation?” and “What drives prosumer innovativeness?” Method – Through the assessment of already existing literature, a conceptual model was created. The model consists of three different dimensions: intrinsic needs and motivations; individual innovativeness; and value co-creation. Intrinsic needs and motivations consist of the need for achievement, affiliation, power, and autonomy. Individual innovativeness is a unidimensional construct in the model. Value co-creation consists of six different dimensions: knowledge; equity; interaction; experience; personalization; and relationship. Hypotheses were developed to gauge the relationship between each construct in the model. Data was collected through a questionnaire which aimed to measure each construct in the model. A final sample size of 141 respondents was realized. The data was then screened and cleaned in Excel and IBM SPSS before being analyzed in SmartPLS. Results – The results showed that achievement, affiliation, and power are drivers of prosumer innovativeness. Furthermore, it was found that prosumer innovativeness positively affects value co-creation as there was a positive relationship between innovativeness and knowledge, interaction, experience, and relationship. Theoretical contribution – While previous literature has identified different motivations to prosumption, this study went a step further to gauge what the needs behind these motivations are. Hence, it can now be stated that prosumers’ motivations to innovative stems from their needs for achievement, affiliation, and power, as well as that prosumer innovativeness positively affects the co-creation of value. Managerial implications – Organizations should utilize prosumers who have a high need for achievement, affiliation, and power, and who have a personal interest in their product, organization, and industry when conducting innovation co-creation to best promote involvement in co-creation activities. If organizations make participation in innovation co-creation easily accessible, they may find that innovative prosumers who are actively looking for solutions to their problems may get involved without any direct incentive apart from the improved product or service and the personal satisfaction derived from the prosumption itself.