Co-creation of values between some bed and breakfast providers and their guests
2018 (English)In: Journal of Research in Business and Management, ISSN 2347-3002, Vol. 5, no 7, p. 13-27Article in journal, Meeting abstract (Refereed) Published
Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
2018. Vol. 5, no 7, p. 13-27
Keywords [en]
consumers as co-creators, processes, experiences, visitors, visit organizers, values, sensemaking
National Category
Other Social Sciences not elsewhere specified Engineering and Technology
Identifiers
URN: urn:nbn:se:uu:diva-342044OAI: oai:DiVA.org:uu-342044DiVA, id: diva2:1183600
Conference
16:th Annual Hawaii International Conference on Education,January 4-7 2018, Honolulu, Hawaii, United States.
Note
Purpose This paper aims to study how somebed and breakfast providers and their guests experience the visits on the island of Gotland in Sweden, regarding and with a particular focus on processes of co-creation of values while interacting with each other’s. Method A Questionnaire and an interview study was conducted. The questionnaire was digitally sent to some visitors and their hosts after the visits on the island. These visitors and hosts were selected from one single Bed and breakfast (BnB) accommodation.In addition to questions about their background and way of traveling to and around the island, guests were also asked about their experiences regarding values created during theirvisit to the island while associating and communicating with their hosts and other guests staying at the same accommodation. The hosts, BnB providers, in turn were asked about how they experienced the values created in contact with their guests.
Findings The study shows that there are several processes involved in co-creation of values between visitors and hosts. Co-creation processes begin already when visitors are planning their visits to the island. Their expectations are created while choosing their accommodation type, often done online on different websites.Pre- information about the chosen BnBaccommodation contributes to visitors' expectations and image of the object, which can be seen as a part of their identities. In the physical meeting with the accommodation and the hosts, the co-creation process is strengthened.There are processes of participation, communication, creation of meaning for the stay, processes of trust and responsibilitieswhich all together create a common culture which in turn contributes to co-creation of values for both parties.These processes also take place between guests. This process of co-creation creates knowledge about the destination and the values that enhance the positive experience of the visits. It also creates knowledge for the hosts about how they can develop their service to achieve increased customer satisfaction.
Practical Implications - The study shows how the process of value creation takes place in practice and how it enhances the visitors' experiences of the entire journey. It also shows the opportunities offered by processes for hosts learning the needs and expectations of customers to create better products and services. This allows the organizers of the accommodation to inform and influence as well as balance of the choices the visitors make during the stay.
Originality/Value of paper - The study makes a contribution to the knowledge of processes of co-creation of valuesby exploring how some tourists and their hosts experienced the visits to the island. The study can help bridging the gap in the views and actions on co-creation of valuesamong visitors and those who are visited.
2018-02-182018-02-182018-03-15Bibliographically approved