DO ZOO VISITORS HELP CREATE THEIR OWN EXPERIENCE?

Today's globalised marketplace offers consumers a huge range of leisure and recreational activities.  This leads to increased competition in the cultural and leisure sector. Modern consumers are also more educated and demanding, more selective as to how they spend their leisure time, and more expectant that their chosen leisure experiences will be tailored to their needs.

Co-creation is the mutual creation of the experience by the consumer and the organisation.  Numerous factors may affect an organisation’s ability to co-create an experience and/or impact on a consumer’s motivation to co-create his or her experience.

Organisations who commit to co-creation expect improved outcomes as co-created experiences can require investment and be resource-intensive.  Key outcomes for organisations in the cultural and leisure sector include improved visitor satisfaction and subsequent visitor loyalty.  Therefore, the relationship between co-creation, customer satisfaction and customer loyalty also needs investigation.

Joanna Minkiewicz and Dr. Jody Evans (Melbourne Business School) and Dr. Kerrie Bridson (Deakin University) are investigating the ways in which leisure and cultural organisations can use co-creation to build stronger organisation-consumer relationships.  

AIMS

• To verify a conceptual model of co-creation and its possible dimensions
• To take a holistic perspective of co-creation to develop a conceptual model and operationalisation that is applicable to both organisations and consumers
• To investigate some antecedents to an organisation’s ability to co-create experiences
• To investigate antecedents of a consumer’s propensity to co-create their experience
• To investigate the relationship between co-creation, customer satisfaction and customer loyalty

METHODS

Study 1 (completed):  This study was conducted at each of the three Zoos Victoria properties. The researchers held ten in-depth interviews with visitor experience staff and/or staff that have direct input into the strategic and operational aspects of Zoos Victoria visitor experiences.  The aim of these interviews was to get an in-depth insight into how Zoos Victoria co-creates experiences with visitors and how co-creation is facilitated.

Study 2 (ongoing):  This study considers the visitor as a key stakeholder in the co-creation of an experience. To this end, visitors to the three Zoos Victoria properties will be asked to complete a 10-15 minute survey. The survey will be centred on the facets of co-creation as determined in Study 1, and will investigate whether visitors perceive that they are co-creating their zoo experience.

RESULTS AND CONCLUSION

This research project began in October 2009 and data is currently being collected. Once the project is complete, this webpage will be updated with a summary of the results. A formal report will also be made available to management and relevant parties at Zoos Victoria.

For more information on this research, please contact Joanna Minkiewicz (lead researcher)