Evolution of a framework of co-creation in political marketing: select cases

Co-creation is a new paradigm that has captured the attention of management researchers and practitioners worldwide. Through this paper we attempt to understand the relationship between political marketing and co-creation and how it is bringing the transformation in political system through engaging the citizen at various levels. We have started with the literature review on co-creation and political marketing. Then we have identified the levels of co-creation in political marketing through literature review. We have followed the inductive case study approach to examine the phenomenon of co-creation in political scenarios where it was not used as a conscious political marketing tool. However, due to intense political situation, fewer political organization and leaders have understood the changing political climate and realized the increasing role of voters and thus involved voters at various level of decision making and product development which results in increased awareness and engagement of voters with that political party at that point of time. Based on this, we have selected three case studies and through within case and cross case analysis we have proposed the framework of political co-creation. This framework represents three categories of factors that indicate the different stages of co-creation in political system. First is the Co-creation indicating factors which include social dissatisfaction and local level CSO integration. Second group of factors is Co-creation process factors which include active actors and knowledge sharing and lastly Post co-creation factors which include aware citizen, engaged voters and proactive political system.