Disentangling the strategic use of social media in the insurance industry: a value co-creation perspective

CASTRIOTTA, EMANUELE;FLOREDDU, PAOLA BARBARA;DI GUARDO, MARIA CHIARA;CABIDDU, FRANCESCA

2013-01-01

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Abstract

Purpose - Despite the fundamental role that digital social media could play in the process of consumer co-creation, academic research on this topic is still in its infancy. The overall aim of the chapter is to consider how digital social media can be used by firms to encourage and sustain co-creation behavior. Design/methodology/approach - We draw a multiple case analyses, focusing on the insurance industry, particularly on the Italian insurance market. Findings - We particularly extend the literature on value co-creation by proposing a composite framework that enables us to grasp the different strategies that firms implement in their different manners of employing digital social media. Practical implications - We set forth a research agenda for managerial scholars that can help understand how social media should be incorporated in the day-to-day operations of insurance companies.