The co-creation of values-in-use at the front end of infrastructure development programs

• Published in: International journal of project management Vol. 37; no. 5; pp. 684 - 695
• Main Authors: Liu, Yan, van Marrewijk, Alfons, Houwing, Erik-Jan, Hertogh, Marcel
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ltd 01.07.2019
• Subjects: Action research; Co-creation; Front end; Infrastructure development; Program; Value creation; Infrastructure development; Value creation; Front end; Program; Co-creation; Action research
• ISSN: 0263-7863; 1873-4634
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ijproman.2019.01.013

There has been recent academic interest in programs as value creation processes. Scholars focus particularly on the front end of programs as opportunities for clients to create value. At the front end, client and market partners can actively co-produce value through co-creation sessions. This paper investigates what stakeholders do in co-creation sessions and how this contributes to the co-creation of value at the front end of programs. We used an action research approach combined with participant observation, document analysis, and interviews with participants to study stakeholder engagement in co-creation sessions at the front end of a Dutch infrastructure development program. The findings show that the client intended to realize a value (value-for-firm) that was competing with market partners' values. By engaging in co-creation sessions with the client, market partners and knowledge partners co-created three sets of values (value-in-use) as follows: commercial, intellectual and collaborative values. The findings contribute to the academic debate on value creation in programs with an in-depth understanding of co-creation sessions at the front end. •Attention needs to be paid to value co-creation at the front end of programs.•An action research approach was used to study stakeholder engagement in co-creation sessions.•We identified three sets of values (value-in-use): commercial, intellectual and collaborative values of co-creation sessions.•The findings highlight implications for the academic debate on value creation in programs.