Table I

Implications for humanitarian services using foundational premises of S-D logic

No.PremiseExplanation/justificationHumanitarian service implications
FP1Service is the fundamental basis of exchangeThe application of operant resources (knowledge and skills), “service,” is the basis for all exchange. Service is exchanged for serviceService is important. Beyond the focus on the donation of products – donated knowledgeable and skilled services should also be exchanged
FP2Indirect exchange masks the fundamental basis of exchangeGoods, money, and institutions mask the service-for-service nature of exchangeCharitable giving masks the service-for-service nature of the exchange. All donations in the humanitarian context are important. However, a focus on the indirect exchange of donated services, especially from donated skills and knowledge is critical. Thus, the transformation of end-beneficiaries by providing operand resources masks the provision of operant resources that provide additional service-for-service exchanges
FP3Goods are distribution mechanisms for service provisionGoods (both durable and non-durable) derive their value through use – the service they provideValue of goods is evident in the supply chain. However, services that allow beneficiaries to access the goods and in turn be able to provide services of their own are also important
FP4Operant resources are the fundamental source of competitive advantageThe comparative ability to cause desired change drives competitionHumanitarian services, volunteers, people’s skills and knowledge, competent information systems, and other value propositions provide a competitive advantage. The focus on the provision of operant resources (skills and knowledge), especially from the transformation of the end-beneficiary provides an advantage
FP5All economies are service economiesService (singular) is only now becoming more apparent with increased specialization and outsourcingAll humanitarian organizations and enterprises are service organizations and need a focus on connecting humanitarian service factors to provide services and meet needs
FP6The customer is always a co-creator of valueImplies value creation is interactionalEnd-beneficiaries receiving services from humanitarian organizations can also provide services. Humanitarian community-based supply chains that involve all end-beneficiaries in the process are imperative to encourage value creation. Also, the ability to transform the end-beneficiary to becoming a supplier of value presents the service-centric view of humanitarian aid that suggests that the end-beneficiary is always a co-creator of value
FP7The enterprise cannot deliver value, but only offer value propositionsThe firm can offer its applied resources and collaboratively (interactively) create value following acceptance, but cannot create/deliver value aloneCBEs can only offer value propositions. No independent supply chain organization has the power to create or deliver value. Involving the provision of resources from all participants in the supply chain, including end-beneficiaries, offers value. Service organizations cannot act alone. Collaboration with all stakeholders, including end-beneficiaries increase the donations of skills and knowledge
FP8A service-centered view is inherently customer oriented and relationalService is customer-determined and co-created; thus, it is inherently customer oriented and relationalRelationships with end-beneficiaries are critical for the supply chain. All parties involved in the service ecosystem include both suppliers and customers
FP9All economic and social actors are resource integratorsImplies the context of value creation is networks of networks (resource-integrators)The focus of the transformative service ecosystem that includes all social and economic suppliers, comprising of transformed end-beneficiaries is resource integration. Resource integration refers to service encounters that allow all agents in the ecosystem to become involved in value co-creation
FP10Value is always uniquely and phenomenological determined by the beneficiaryValue is idiosyncratic, experiential, contextual, and meaning ladenValue can be created and co-created by including and connecting all beneficiaries in the service ecosystem

Source: Adapted from Vargo and Lusch (2008)

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