Orchestrating complementarity of actor activities in ecosystems to develop capabilities

B2B service research recognizes the need to focus on value outcomes for customers and develop frameworks that help managers to better manage their multi-actor shaped, customer experiences (Witell et al., 2020; Zolkiewski et al., 2017). This necessitates the study of how capabilities are developed in multi-actor ecosystems, rather than focusing on single firms, or dyads (Cova and Salle, 2008; Maglio et al., 2009; Story et al., 2017, Araujo, Gadde & Dubois 2003). Yet the multi-actor perspective remains under-researched (Raddats et al., 2019).

Capability development within ecosystems is complex and can be influenced by the competitive environment (Gebauer, 2008; Turunen and Finne, 2014), market dynamism (Baines et al., 2009) and tensions and territoriality between actors (Burton et al., 2016; Wagstaff et al., 2020). Concurrently, we contend that even where actors strive to work together to co-create value, there can be challenges in realising the efficiencies of such capabilities. Such challenges might arise where a failure to effectively manage and match their capabilities and results in problems in effectively delivering the desired outcomes.

Thus, we argue that both a lack of capability complementarity and the nature of territorial tensions between actors can act as moderators, impacting actors’ ability to effectively develop capabilities that deliver desired customer experiences and outcomes. In scenarios where a focal company strives to act as an orchestrator of other actors in an ecosystem, it is likely that actors’ service processes and systems may vary depending on the degree of complementary (Fang et al., 2008) or contexts. Thus, despite positive intent (Crowley et al., 2018), ecosystems can fail to maximise the effective and efficient delivery of desired capabilities.

Grӧnroos (2012) highlights how activities, resources and actors’ contexts shape customer outcomes. An orchestrator can influence how and when other ecosystem actors deploy their resources and the types of activities they offer. When firms combine physical operand resources it can be straightforward to create physical outputs that work. However, when firms combine operant resources using knowledge and skill (e.g. IT, maintenance, etc.) the effectiveness may depend on the specific contexts of all actors involved. Actors interact at, macro, meso and micro levels and face differing contexts (Story et al., 2021). This complexity can ultimately impact customer experience and the value realised.
Where individual actors in a network focus on their own service delivery activities rather than the overall customer experience realised through managed and coordinated capabilities of multiple actors, service outcomes may be harmed.
Thus, our research question is: How does degree of complementarity between actors (firms, customers and intermediaries) moderate effectiveness of capabilities developed in ecosystems?

This work employs a single case study of multi-actor ecosystem interactions, assessing the complementarity of actor contexts, activities and deployed resources on capability development, taking into account that they interact at different levels (industry [macro], firm, strategic business unit [meso], individual [micro]).
The research contribution lies in identifying the importance of orchestrated complementarity as a means of mediating the effectiveness of ecosystem actor capability development. Findings will be shared at the conference.