Dynamic consumer value through value co-creation in the context of consumer culture-An ethnographic study on craft beer consumption in China

Sammanfattning: Alcohol consumption is important within the research of service management in retail, because it is not only a consumption phenomenon, but also a societal matter. Inappropriate drinking culture and unhealthy drinking habits can cause serious issues to the individuals and the society. Consumers’ drinking habits could be significantly influenced by the value that they perceive and seek for ((Babin, Darden & Driffin 1994; Vargo & Lush 2005) while value co-creation is an important way of value optimization (Kyle Puetz 2015). This thesis conducted an ethnographic study in craft beer consumption in China to explore dynamic consumer value beyond the utilitarian one that are achieved or achievable through value co-creation and within the context of consumer culture. Under the macro background of globalization, the study figures out a strong directivity in consumers’ demographic features, and their sense in the identity, lifestyle and taste in the craft beer consumer culture. The consumer culture is an enabler for quality value-co-creation, especially for consumer-to-consumer interactions. On the one hand, a consumer is more open to others who seem to have similar taste, life style, recognized identity. On the one hand, interactions with a consumer outside the segment or in the context of under-developed consumer culture can result in failure and frustrating experience. The key findings also show that Quality value, Aesthetics value and Hedonic value are main stimulus for craft beer consumption, while through the consumer roles of Co-tester, Co-ideator, Co-promoter and Coconsumer in value co-creation, consumers will further gain Social value, Aesthetics value, Altruistic value and Efficiency, with the quality value and hedonic value also increased. Importantly, it is figured out that focusing or emphasizing on quality and utilitarian value leads to a higher risk of alcohol abuse in terms of consumption frequency and amount, while dynamic value co-creation reduces this risk. The study offers a theoretical and analytical support for service management for a healthier wine industry and a society with more rational alcohol marketing activities and consumption behaviors. A generalization from niche market of craft beer to the broader wine industry is appreciated for further research.