Title: Understanding knowledge from customers: a systematic literature review

Authors: Sanchayan Sengupta; Przemysław Tomczyk

Addresses: ESSCA School of Management, 55, Quai Alphonse Le Gallo, 92513 Boulogne-Billancourt, France ' Kozminski University, 57/59 Jagiellonska St., 03-301 Warsaw, Poland

Abstract: The purpose of this research is to exhaustively review the literature on knowledge from customers thereby enabling it to provide a comprehensive definition and classification of the concept of knowledge from customers and provide a future research agenda, focussing on emerging markets. We employed a rigorous three-step systematic literature review (SLR) process by analysing 184 articles since 1977 published on knowledge from customers. Literature was reviewed using SLR, bibliometric citation analysis, and cluster analysis. This definition involves what the customer knows, what they can use, and what they can co-create to help firms especially in emerging markets achieve their business objectives. This research is the first systematic literature review attempt in the field of knowledge from customers that proposes a definition and classification of knowledge from customers based on many articles across a broad period. We provide research agenda for both international researchers and multinational firms concerned with emerging markets.

Keywords: customer knowledge; knowledge from customers; systematic literature review; SLR; bibliometrics; emerging markets; global firms.

DOI: 10.1504/IJBEM.2025.148999

International Journal of Business and Emerging Markets, 2025 Vol.17 No.4, pp.393 - 411

Received: 23 May 2023
Accepted: 07 Jul 2023
Published online: 08 Oct 2025 *

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