The Evolution of the E-Business Value Cycle Through Value Co-Creation during the COVID-19 Pandemic: An Empirical Study from Iran

Abstract

The present study aims to evolve the value cycle of e-business through value co-creation during the Coronavirus pandemic. The population of the study is experts consisting of university professors in the fields of marketing management, e-commerce, and managers of organizations and companies in Iran. Using the snowball sampling method, 50 of them were selected as the sample. This study employs the factor analysis method and structural equation modeling (SEM) approach for identification of the factors. The findings of this study reveal that 10 factors affect the evolution of the value chain into the value cycle, including customer relationship management, e-literacy, value co-creation, e-readiness, and integrated value creation, the logic of service dominance, shared value creation, virtual culture, e-trust, and network economics. Despite the difficulties that COVID-19 has created for businesses worldwide, the evolution of the e-business value cycle through value co-creation in the Coronavirus pandemic can be considered as a positive aspect of the pandemic. In fact, with more pandemics and more customers turning to e-businesses due to the co-creation of customer value, e-businesses can cover their weaknesses and improve their strengths by engaging customers and receiving their feedback, thus transforming their value chain into the value cycle.