The Effects of Different Types of Control in Co-production Experiences

Abstract

Customer participation has become an important firm strategy (Bendapudi and Leone 2003; Vargo and Lusch 2004). Companies are designing their offering(s) to allow customers to participate to various degrees in the process of creating and delivering the offering(s). In this strategy, not only do providers select a level of customer co-production, but also the level of control available to customers. This study examines the effects of control types (cognitive, behavioral, and decisional) and their interaction on customers’ affective responses in service contexts with varying levels of co-production.