Understanding sustainable service ecosystems: a meso-level perspective

• Published in: The Journal of services marketing 2024-02, Vol.38 (3), p.288-300
• Main Authors: Palakshappa, Nitha, Dodds, Sarah, Stangl, Loren M.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Climate change; Consumption; Ecosystems; Environmental economics; Marketing; Poverty; Society; Sustainability; Sustainable development; Sustainable ecosystems; Sustainable practices; Value chain
• ISSN: 0887-6045; 2054-1651; 0887-6045
• DOI: 10.1108/JSM-02-2023-0054

Purpose The world continues to grapple with grand challenges – climate change, pandemic, poverty, social injustice and diminishing resources – requiring mitigation if we are to focus on well-being and move towards a more sustainable future. Cultivating sustainable ecosystems offers a possible solution. The purpose of this paper is to understand how sustainable organizations at the meso level can nurture sustainable service ecosystems that provide the potential for greater well-being outcomes for individuals, business, society and the planet. Design/methodology/approach Case study data is gathered from 11 sustainable fashion organizations operating at the meso level within a complex ecosystem. The analysis includes interviews with founders and/or key managers and secondary information from company websites and publicly available reports. Findings The findings identify key value co-creation sustainable practices at the meso level that facilitate the function of the service ecosystem to create well-being outcomes. Value co-creation practices include – embedding a sustainable ethos; implementing sustainable strategies that embrace innovation, transparency and stakeholder collaboration; and incorporating sustainable communication practices that engage. Originality/value Encapsulating sustainability within macromarketing and service ecosystems enables the development of a sustainable service ecosystems framework that has the potential to offer enhanced well-being. Implications for marketing practice in terms of important factors that facilitate service-sustainable ecosystems to enhance well-being are considered.