This study addresses the transmission of meanings in the retail context, and the factors affecting such transmission, which retailers should pay close attention to. In particular, this study investigates the design choices and the research question that it seeks to answer is: “How may the design choices influence the transmission of meanings to customers?”. The literature review considered is composed by the topics: Customer Experience, Co-creation and its several theoretical streams, Innovation of Meanings and a final focus on the concept of language. We found that the literature takes different directions around the micro-level perspective (i.e. the provider-customer sphere and their interactions), in particular the roles and tools of providers and customers are defined differently. In order to address our research question, we considered two case studies: Eataly and FICO. We found the cases meaningful for this research topic as the two stores are conceived by Farinetti, they are evidence of a different transmission of the same meanings. The analysis of the case is composed by two parts. A first part is dedicated to a more strategic analysis of the two entities, the interviews of Farinetti (i.e. the founder) were collected and then coded. From this first part we obtained a coding which includes, above all, the meanings proposed by the two offerings. These are the same for both cases. Then, the second part of the analysis is an ethnographic research of the two stores, from which other two coding were achieved, one for each store. Each of them is composed by three macro-parts regarding the Format, the Experience and the Behaviors. In order to grasp meaningful insights for our research question, the coding were compared. In particular we compared the meanings proposed with the two different formats. Behaviors and Experience of the two stores were also compared. Alongside this comparison, we sought to relate the findings to the topics of the literature review. We understood that even if the meanings proposed from a strategic point of view were the same, they were then implemented and perceived differently. This was mainly because the design choices of the store and its elements acted as a filter, and since the two entities are different from a design perspective, the meanings were conveyed in different ways. The design of the store has a relevant position, it influences interactions, perceptions, communication, thus the customer experience. So, we recognized the format as a “enabler” of the customer experience and the related meanings perceived. From a theoretical point of view, we evinced that the two theories – Innovation of Meaning and Co- Creation –may converge. In fact, the Innovation of Meaning concerns the innovative process with an inside-out approach, defining the “why”. The Co- creation instead may be placed at the end of this process, defining the “what”, having the role of “enabler” of the “why”. Where the “what” is the format and the design of the experience, and the “why” is the meaning. Thus, the two theories can be combined together. The findings of the two case studies analyzed show the importance that this theoretical development has also on a more practical and managerial perspective. The design choices are fundamental for the conveyance of meanings and they can completely change in practice what was planned strategically. Thus, retailers should have leverage on the design choices in order to manage at best the interactions with the customers and their perception of meanings.
Il presente studio riguarda la trasmissione di significati nel contesto del commercio al dettaglio e i fattori che influenzano tale trasmissione, cui i dettaglianti dovrebbero prestare particolare attenzione. In particolare, questo studio indaga le scelte progettuali e la domanda alla quale cerca di rispondere è: "In che modo le scelte progettuali possono influenzare la trasmissione dei significati ai clienti? La revisione della letteratura considerata è composta dagli argomenti di Customer Experience, Co-creazione e le sue diverse correnti teoriche, Innovazione dei significati e un focus finale sul concetto di linguaggio. Abbiamo appreso che la letteratura prende direzioni diverse intorno alla prospettiva del micro-livello (cioè la sfera fornitore-cliente e le loro interazioni), in particolare i ruoli e gli strumenti dei fornitori e dei clienti sono definiti in modo diverso. Al fine di affrontare la nostra domanda di ricerca abbiamo preso in considerazione due casi studio: Eataly e FICO. I casi studio si sono rivelati significativi in relazione a questo tema di ricerca, in quanto i due negozi sono stati fondati da Oscar Farinetti, e testimoniano una diversa trasmissione degli stessi significati. L'analisi è composta da due parti. Una prima parte è dedicata ad un'analisi più strategica delle due realtà dove sono state raccolte e poi codificate le interviste di Oscar Farinetti. Da questa prima parte abbiamo ottenuto un coding che comprende, in particolar modo i significati proposti dalle due offerte. Essi sono gli stessi per entrambi i casi. In seguito, la seconda parte dell'analisi consisteva in una ricerca etnografica nei due punti vendita, dalla quale sono stati ottenuti altri due coding, uno per negozio. Ognuno di essi è composto da tre macro-particelle riguardanti il Format, l'Esperienza e i Comportamenti. Al fine di cogliere spunti significativi per la nostra domanda di ricerca, i coding sono stati confrontati. In particolare abbiamo comparato i significati proposti con i due diversi format. Sono stati confrontati anche i comportamenti e l'esperienza gestita nei due negozi. Unito a ciò, abbiamo cercato di mettere in relazione i risultati con gli argomenti della revisione della letteratura. Abbiamo compreso che nonostante i significati proposti, da un punto di vista strategico, erano gli stessi, sono poi stati implementati e percepiti in modo diverso. Questo soprattutto perché le scelte progettuali del negozio e dei suoi elementi fungono da filtro, e poiché le due entità sono diverse dal punto di vista progettuale, i significati sono stati veicolati in maniera diversa. Il design del negozio ha una posizione rilevante poiché influenza le interazioni, le percezioni, la comunicazione, quindi la Customer Cxperience. Abbiamo perciò riconosciuto il format come un abilitatore della Customer Experience e dei relativi significati percepiti. Da un punto di vista teorico, abbiamo dimostrato che le due teorie - Innovazione di Significato e Co-Creazione - possono convergere. Infatti, l'Innovazione di Significato riguarda il processo innovativo con un approccio "inside-out", definendo il "perché". La Co-creazione invece può essere posta alla fine di questo processo, definendo il "cosa", avendo così il ruolo di abilitatore del "perché", dove il "cosa" riguarda il format e la progettazione dell'esperienza, e il "perché" è il significato. Così, le due teorie possono essere combinate insieme. I risultati dei due casi studio analizzati mostrano l'importanza che questo sviluppo teorico ha anche in una prospettiva più pratica e manageriale. Le scelte progettuali sono fondamentali per la trasmissione dei significati e possono cambiare completamente nella pratica ciò che è stato pianificato strategicamente. Pertanto, i retailer dovrebbero concentrarsi sulle scelte progettuali per gestire al meglio le interazioni con i clienti e la loro percezione dei significati.
From innovation of meaning to experience co-creation : how to make customers perceive meanings
SELVATICO, LODOVICA ADA CATERINA;MALARA, CARMELA SOFIA
2018/2019
Abstract
This study addresses the transmission of meanings in the retail context, and the factors affecting such transmission, which retailers should pay close attention to. In particular, this study investigates the design choices and the research question that it seeks to answer is: “How may the design choices influence the transmission of meanings to customers?”. The literature review considered is composed by the topics: Customer Experience, Co-creation and its several theoretical streams, Innovation of Meanings and a final focus on the concept of language. We found that the literature takes different directions around the micro-level perspective (i.e. the provider-customer sphere and their interactions), in particular the roles and tools of providers and customers are defined differently. In order to address our research question, we considered two case studies: Eataly and FICO. We found the cases meaningful for this research topic as the two stores are conceived by Farinetti, they are evidence of a different transmission of the same meanings. The analysis of the case is composed by two parts. A first part is dedicated to a more strategic analysis of the two entities, the interviews of Farinetti (i.e. the founder) were collected and then coded. From this first part we obtained a coding which includes, above all, the meanings proposed by the two offerings. These are the same for both cases. Then, the second part of the analysis is an ethnographic research of the two stores, from which other two coding were achieved, one for each store. Each of them is composed by three macro-parts regarding the Format, the Experience and the Behaviors. In order to grasp meaningful insights for our research question, the coding were compared. In particular we compared the meanings proposed with the two different formats. Behaviors and Experience of the two stores were also compared. Alongside this comparison, we sought to relate the findings to the topics of the literature review. We understood that even if the meanings proposed from a strategic point of view were the same, they were then implemented and perceived differently. This was mainly because the design choices of the store and its elements acted as a filter, and since the two entities are different from a design perspective, the meanings were conveyed in different ways. The design of the store has a relevant position, it influences interactions, perceptions, communication, thus the customer experience. So, we recognized the format as a “enabler” of the customer experience and the related meanings perceived. From a theoretical point of view, we evinced that the two theories – Innovation of Meaning and Co- Creation –may converge. In fact, the Innovation of Meaning concerns the innovative process with an inside-out approach, defining the “why”. The Co- creation instead may be placed at the end of this process, defining the “what”, having the role of “enabler” of the “why”. Where the “what” is the format and the design of the experience, and the “why” is the meaning. Thus, the two theories can be combined together. The findings of the two case studies analyzed show the importance that this theoretical development has also on a more practical and managerial perspective. The design choices are fundamental for the conveyance of meanings and they can completely change in practice what was planned strategically. Thus, retailers should have leverage on the design choices in order to manage at best the interactions with the customers and their perception of meanings.| File | Dimensione | Formato | |
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https://hdl.handle.net/10589/149808