Conceptualising the (dis)abling marketplace through value creation and destruction

ABSTRACT

Drawing upon value theory, this study investigates both the enabling and disabling features of marketplaces for consumers in the disability market. Analysis of longitudinal qualitative data collected before and after the introduction of a new disability service provision scheme in Australia offer empirical evidence of such marketplaces that are both creating and destroying value for people with disability and their carers. In some instances, value creation and destruction can co-occur for individual consumers. These empirical insights lead to a theoretical conceptualisation of the marketplace as not being wholly disabling, but rather consisting of disabling and enabling factors. Understanding these factors allows service providers and policy makers to make adjustments in view of maximising value creation and minimising value destruction.

KEYWORDS:

• (Dis)abling marketplace
• disability
• NDIS
• value creation
• value destruction
• care

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Australian Research Council [LP150100476].

Notes on contributors

Nadia Zainuddin

Nadia Zainuddin is a Senior Lecturer at the University of Wollongong, Australia. She is a critical scholar whose work focuses on the power of marketing to influence behaviour and social change. Her research aims to understand the lived experiences of people more likely than others to experience marginalisation and vulnerability to inform programmes, interventions, and policy to improve well-being. Conceptually, she is a specialist in the area of value theory, having pioneered work developing and applying the frameworks of value creation and destruction across a range of social marketing and consumption contexts.

Melanie Randle

Melanie Randle is a Senior Professor at the University of Wollongong, Australia. One of her core research areas is in disability, focusing on the National Disability Insurance Scheme in Australia.

Ross Gordon

Ross Gordon is a Professor of Behaviour and Social Change at the University of Technology Sydney Business School. Ross is one of the world’s leading experts in using social marketing and social science methods to achieve behaviour and social change and generate transformative social impact across a diverse range of areas including gambling, energy, climate change and environmental sustainability, alcohol and tobacco consumption, public health, mental health and workplace bullying.

Sara Dolnicar

Sara Dolnicar is a Professor at the University of Queensland Business School. Sara is best known for her work in improving market segmentation methodology and testing and refining survey measures used in social science research. She has also worked in the areas of environmental volunteering, foster care and public acceptance of water alternatives. Currently she is focused on developing and testing interventions that trigger pro-environmental behaviour in tourists.