From Theory to Practice: Understanding Value-Creation in Service Companies

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Lucas Galli Ribeiro
Leydiana de Sousa Pereira
Natália Macedo Baião
Larissa Vasconcelos de Oliveira
André Marques Cavalcanti

Abstract

Objective: existing literature is fragmented and fails to provide a holistic and comprehensive understanding of how value is created, particularly in the face of contemporary challenges and within the service sector. This article aims to offer a structured overview of current literature and facilitate a theoretical understanding of value creation. Methods: adopting a multi-method approach, a systematic literature review (SLR) of 184 articles was conducted, combined with qualitative analyses of empirical data obtained from in-depth interviews with three entrepreneurs. Results: this article identifies six distinct value-creation logics: (1) performance-driven, (2) knowledge-driven, (3) predictability-driven, (4) customer-driven, (5) positioning-driven, and (6) quality-driven. The results demonstrate that value creation in service companies is a multifaceted process, requiring a balance between internal capabilities and external market dynamics. Conclusions: this study does not seek to exhaust all possible perspectives on value creation; instead, it offers a structured synthesis of six interrelated value-creation logics derived from the literature and illustrated through exploratory interviews with entrepreneurs in the service sector.

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Ribeiro, L. G., Pereira, L. de S., Baião, N. M., Oliveira, L. V. de, & Cavalcanti, A. M. (2025). From Theory to Practice: Understanding Value-Creation in Service Companies. Brazilian Administration Review, 22(4), e250036. Retrieved from https://bar.anpad.org.br/index.php/bar/article/view/731
Section
Research Articles

References

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