Reframing service-dominant logic: the interplay of cooperation and competition in market ecosystems

Purpose This paper identifies an important conceptual gap in service-dominant logic: its lack of focus on competition in complex ecosystems. This paper aims to propose the service duality framework (SDF), which redefines value creation as a dynamic interplay of cooperation and competition. Design/methodology/approach As a conceptual paper, this study draws on an extensive review of SDL literature. By combining perspectives from organizational ambidexterity and strategic management, this paper creates a dual-lens framework to comprehend how companies collaboratively generate value while managing competitive interactions. Findings This paper proposes the SDF, which balances cooperation and competition as dual forces driving value creation. SDF introduces concepts like cooperative advantage, competitive edge and dynamic equilibrium, offering a nuanced perspective on value co-creation. Originality/value This paper enhances SDL theory by explicitly recognizing competition as a concurrent factor alongside cooperation. Basically, it reconfigures SDL’s value co-creation paradigm through the lens of strategic duality. SDF establishes ambidexterity not merely as a contextual factor, but as a core principle essential for value creation.