Unraveling Mechanisms of Value Cocreation in Festivals

The aim of this qualitative case study is to explore the mechanisms underlying value cocreation in the context of networked festival productions. Applying the managerial perspective, this study particularly explores why cocreation represents a valuable factor in networked festival productions and how the activities are conducted in the value creative platform, namely conversational space. Considering festivals as services in their host destinations, this study applies the context of three festivals in one city in Finland and draws on the literature on festival management, service experience, and value cocreation. The study shows that the cocreation of conversational space fosters value cocreation as an interactive process; that is, as a mechanism of value cocreation. Conversational space is found to intertwine the festival with its host community and therefore influencing to the justification of a festival's existence by empowered legitimacy. Festival managers need to consider conversational space as strategically crucial because of the need to gain public support for festival and to enhance the justification and existence of festival in its destination.