The impact of account managers' dual embeddedness on solution co-creation performance

PurposeThis study aims to investigate account managers' dual embeddedness (customer and internal embeddedness) in solution co-creation. The authors examine the mediating role of two-way matching between suppliers and customers and the moderating role of customer requirement complexity.Design/methodology/approachThe authors use a questionnaire to collect data from 566 account managers of supplier companies in China and conduct hypothesis testing through multiple linear regression analysis and bootstrapping.FindingsThe findings demonstrate that customer and internal embeddedness are distinct with different dimensions and are positively related to solution co-creation performance. Customer and internal embeddedness affect solution co-creation performance through two-way matching in the customer requirement definition and solution integration phases, respectively. The interaction term of customer and internal embeddedness indirectly affect solution co-creation performance through two-way matching, and customer requirement complexity strengthens this main effect.Originality/valueTo the best of the authors' knowledge, this study is the first to examine dual embeddedness at the individual level and distinguish between the customer and internal embeddedness of account managers by different dimensional classifications. The authors clarify the difference and relationship between customer and internal embeddedness in solution co-creation and investigate the mediating and moderating roles of two-way matching and customer requirement complexity, respectively. This study expands the theoretical research on social embeddedness theory and business-to-business solutions and provides useful insights into the solution co-creation practice for account managers and suppliers.