The experiences of the value co-creators: A netnographic study of idea generation in an online community

This research explores the marketing strategy of value co-creation where companies co-create products and services with customers and other company stakeholders in an online community designed for discussing ideas for product innovation. The findings of the thesis benefit society by revealing the experiences of the value co-creators – organisations, customers, competitors, partners, and online platforms designed for value co-creation - detailing their motivators, engagement, and learning processes. In this way, this research provides an understanding of how organisations can generate value by integrating resources of multiple stakeholders to offer more tailored products and services while increasing their competitive advantage.