Quality, service‐dominant logic and many‐to‐many marketing

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to show that there are many sources to quality, not just the supplier; that quality is a complex concept which must be balanced against productivity and profits; that quality has to be considered within a network of relationships and contributions; and that the service‐dominant logic and many‐to‐many marketing are useful concepts in approaching quality. Design/methodology/approach The methodology is a composite of case study research, action management research and network theory. Findings The case shows that to create value or service, the conventional goods/services divide cannot be upheld as they always appear in symbiosis; that even a simple case of buying and selling quickly enters into a network where the many‐to‐many eyeglasses are necessary to capture the complexity of the situation; and that quality cannot be properly treated without simultaneously addressing productivity and the financial outcome. Research limitations/implications Researchers should not shun the complexity of quality situations but attack them with creative methodology. A large series of cases using network theory and management action research will provide us with the multifarious variations that are possible before we make generalizations about the emergence of quality. Practical implications If companies better understand the customer's value chain and lean consumption process, they can improve their value propositions with positive effects on quality, productivity and profits. Originality/value The paper shows how companies can better integrate quality management with new approaches to the customer's role in the quality process, and it illustrates the importance of co‐creation of value.