Value formation with immersive technologies : an activity perspective

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to contribute a framework that explains how value is formed during the usage of immersive technologies in industrial contexts. Design/methodology/approach: Drawing on activity theory and a customer-dominant logic, the authors tentatively develop an activity-centric framework for value formation enabled by physical and mental activities conducted by users of immersive technologies. The authors evaluate the framework through a case study focusing on the use of virtual reality (VR) in an industrial setting. Findings: The findings from the case study illustrate the tentative framework and specify how it is enacted by users in the studied context through three physical activities constituted by a set of actions and reflected in five emotional responses. Research limitations/implications: Both researchers and practitioners may use the framework presented in this paper as a guide for further academic and practical developments concerning the value of immersive technologies such as VR and augmented reality. Originality/value: The activity-centric framework contributes a novel perspective to the literature on value formation enabled by immersive technologies.