A SOCIAL LAYER OF CUSTOMER TO CUSTOMER “VALUE CO-CREATION” AS AN ENGAGEMENT MARKETING TOOL: A TRANSFORMATION AT SOCIETAL LEVEL

Abstract

Managerial interest in user-generated content (UGC) websites is growing, as firm face highly uncertain markets, ambiguous economic environments, and a mounting user base accustomed to active engagement rather than passive acceptance of products and services. Firms are now exploring ways to provide a platform (website) through which users generate and contribute content, resulting in a co-created experience between users and firms. This conceptual paper develops a framework of value co-creation in form of model by utilizing user experience as to examine how social interactions, operationalized as perceived as UGC website influence an individual’s user experience and subsequent engagement behaviors. Various social sites are availed by the consumers to share their experiences and suggest their viewpoints, which a firm could use as a platform to create innovation in their firms and could achieve better competitive advantage by satisfying consumers. Positive user experience positively influenced a user’s engagement behavior. Based on the results of this study, implications for research and practice are discussed and future directions for researchers are outlined. This papers also outlines the transformation coming in firms working by utilizing social layer.