Value co-creation through service innovation in logistics: an evolutionary game study

Purpose Despite growing interest in value co-creation (VCC) in service innovation, few studies have examined how logistics enterprises collaborate with SaaS platforms and manufacturing companies to overcome geographical, organizational and technical barriers. This study fills this gap by developing a tripartite evolutionary game model to analyze the strategic interactions and evolutionary dynamics among logistics enterprises, SaaS platforms and manufacturing companies. Design/methodology/approach A tripartite evolutionary game model is constructed to capture the strategic decision-making behaviors of logistics enterprises, SaaS platforms and manufacturing companies from a value co-creation perspective. Numerical simulations in MATLAB R2018a are conducted to evaluate the influence of key factors – service innovation revenue and costs, resource integration risks and absorption capacity – on the evolutionary stability of VCC strategies. Findings The simulation results identify the system’s optimal stable state when all parties adopt the strategy (Service Innovation, Participate, Participate), indicating that VCC participation increases when net benefits exceed those of non-participation, enhanced resource absorption capabilities promotes cooperation and stability, while high costs and risks inhibit long-term engagement though the system remains sustainable when total benefits outweigh total costs, with potential losses from non-participation further incentivizing active involvement. Practical implications The study suggests that logistics enterprises should enhance resource integration and leverage SaaS platforms to improve customer insights and operational efficiency. SaaS platforms ought to act as innovation bridges, refining products via real-world feedback and facilitating cross-party integration, while manufacturing companies can achieve greater transparency, customization and cost efficiency through SaaS-enabled logistics innovations, thereby strengthening their motivation to engage in value co-creation. Originality/value This research introduces a novel evolutionary game-theoretic perspective on VCC in logistics service innovation, incorporating the concept of resource-absorption capabilities. It reveals how asymmetric capabilities among stakeholders shape collaborative incentives and outcomes, offering theoretical and practical insights into aligning logistics and manufacturing sectors through SaaS platforms.