Competing through co-creation: innovation at two companies
Purpose ‐ This paper aims to discuss how two innovative firms ‐ the French telecommunications firm Orange and the California-based global networking firm Cisco ‐ have gained competitive advantage from using the co-creative enterprise
business concept to generate sustainable growth.
Design/methodology/approach ‐ The paper describes in detail the approach at Orange, which is on co-creating experience environments with customers and industry mavens, and at Cisco, where the focus
is on co-creating the management of risk and reward.
Findings ‐ Companies that have learned how to manage the process of creating unique value with customers and other stakeholders have developed engagement programs and processes that enable interactions
among all stakeholders everywhere in the system, with the goal of creating greater value by fostering more rewarding or more valuable experiences.
Research limitations/implications ‐ Two case examples of innovative practices are presented.
Practical implications ‐ Orange's R&D and marketing processes have attracted lead-users and early adopters, who are extremely valuable since they are more likely to be content co-creators and the core adopters of their services. Cisco is attempting to
extend its co-creative governance frameworks through collaborative interactions with its customers and partners.
Originality/value ‐ The paper alerts leaders that business and society are moving towards an individual- and experience-based view
of co-creative engagement among individuals and institutions ‐ outside and inside enterprises.
Keywords: Communication technologies; Innovation; Leadership; Management techniques; Social-networks
Document Type: Research Article
Publication date: 09 March 2010
- Previously published as The Antidote
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