Table 1. Business net classification framework (modified from Möller and Rajala 2007).
Current Business Nets Business Renewal Nets Emerging Business Nets
Vertical
Demand-Supply Nets
High level of
determination 		Horizontal
Market Nets 		Business Renewal Nets Customer
Solution Nets 		Application
Nets 		Dominant Design
Nets 		Innovation
Networks

Low level of
determination
Stable value system
  • Well-known and specified value activities
  • Well-known actors
  • Well-known technologies
  • Well-known business processes
  • Stable value systems
Established value system
  • Well-known value structure
  • Change through local and incremental innovations
Emerging value system
  • Emerging new value systems
  • Old and new actors
  • Radical changes in old value activities
  • Creation of new value activities
  • Uncertainty about both value activities and actors
  • Radical system-wide change
Table 2. Summary of results.
Elements Network of company A Network of company B Current state of networking in wood products industry
Structure and business idea A hub company and balanced network partners; a shared goal A hub company with partners concentrating on their own core competencies Networking at low level, but some opportunities identified
Goals of the
business network 		Offering substitutes to concrete elements High quality wooden claddings with full services, economic value Promoting internationalisation, larger offer sizes
Network partner selection criteria Track record in wood construction sector, networking skills Relationships and earlier collaboration, proper financial management Building image, track record, high quality of work
Benefits and
opportunities 		Innovativeness as opportunity in a specialist network Better scalability if new partners are found Improved profitability, larger deals for customers
Strategic
resources 		Lacking in installation and operative management of the industrial plant Lack of salesforce and difficulties in finding good partners Increasing role of customers requires resource integration for small companies
Openness, trust and commitment Open atmosphere, dialogic and trustful culture Commitment based on contracts, more openness needed Openness and trust as a starting point
Challenges Current poor economic situation, threat of imitation, resource allocation problems Current poor economic situation, difficulties in finding partners Current poor economic situation; suspicious attitude towards competitors
1

Fig. 1. Company A network structure.

2

Fig. 2. Company B network structure.