Understanding the Role of Value Network for Sustainable Public Transportation in the Emerging Economies : Case Study of Zhengzhou Bus Rapid Transit System

Purpose – The main aim of this paper is to assess and analyze the role of value network for sustainable service business embedded social and environmental perspectives in the emerging economies. The objective is to study how resources are integrated and value networked to create and co-create value for customers and other stakeholders, thus develop a framework for achieving sustainable service by considering not only the economic aspects, but also quality of life and societal well-being. It is important to understand the interdependence of value network and sustainability and discuss how stakeholders integrate resources through interactions, communications and dialogues to co-create and network value within the public transit context. Design/methodology/approach – Qualitative approach is adopted in this study to better understand the interdependence between value network and sustainable service business embedded in social and environmental perspectives. The empirical is designed as a critical case study. The paper presents three concepts - (i) value co-creation and value network (ii) resource integration and (iii) sustainable business with social and environmental focuses on public transit. Then, the paper demonstrates these concepts through a case study of Zhengzhou Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system in Henan Province, China. The case study is used to analyze and gain an in-depth understanding of value network and sustainable service by contextualizing it in the real life context. Findings – The study is expected to come across and demonstrate that the integrating of value network and value co-creation embedded in social and environmental perspectives is to secure sustainable service business. This is achieved by developing a framework that integrates value network and sustainable value creation by analysing value co-creation, value network, resource integration and sustainability, which the empirical setting is coming from the public transit sector. This framework