Several hands building a structure of blocks together, with an orange beam on top

PartnersNetwork Business Model Canvas

A partnership that leaves everyone better off

Many partnerships start with enthusiasm and stall later on. The Next Organization makes explicit what each partner puts in and gets out, so that working together is demonstrably better than going it alone. To do that, we use the Network Business Model Canvas (NBMC).

Sound familiar?

Partners disagree about who does what
The split of costs and revenues causes friction
The partnership never gets beyond good intentions
Each partner works from its own business case
Nobody feels ownership of the shared goal
You cannot tell in advance who in the chain wins or loses

What is the Network Business Model Canvas?

The Business Model Canvas describes how a single organisation creates value. The NBMC extends that logic to a network of organisations. At the centre sit a lead party and one network goal that applies to every party. For each party, you fill in nine elements.

Nine elements for each party

Network goal Central party

Party A
Party B
Party C
Party D
Party E

Each party gets its own canvas

Canvas for Party A

What the party puts in

Value contribution

What does this party bring?
Costs

What does that cost this party?

What the party does in the network

Co-production

What do the parties do together?
Channels

Which route does the exchange follow?
Resources

Which resources does this party commit?
Role

What does this party do in the network?

What the party gets out

Value capture

What does this party get from the network?
Benefits

What does that bring this party?

DNA Our addition

Does the partnership fit who this party is?

The DNA row is our own addition: it records each party's Why and core values.

A partnership only works if it contributes to every partner's strategy. The canvas shows you, before the decision, who wins, who pays and where broad support is lacking.

What you get

You get a completed canvas showing each partner’s contribution, costs, value capture and benefits. A single partnership proposition shows why working together is more attractive for everyone than going it alone. That is the basis for agreements on roles, contributions and how costs and revenues are split.

Frequently asked questions

How do you choose the right partners?

Look at what each party contributes to the shared goal and what it wants in return. Choose the combination with the strongest mutual value. Also look at each party’s DNA, because a partner with different values will cause friction sooner or later.

How do you split costs and revenues fairly?

For each party, set contribution and costs against value capture and benefits. If that balance is skewed for a party, it will drop out. The canvas makes that visible before anything is agreed on paper.

When do you use the NBMC?

In any partnership where several organisations create value together. Think of a supply chain partnership, a consortium or a joint venture. The canvas helps before you start, and again when the partnership falters.

What do you put in a partnership agreement?

At the very least, put roles, contributions, decision-making and the split of costs and revenues in writing. Also agree how a partner can leave. The completed canvas provides the content; the legal form is something to settle with a lawyer.

How do you get started with a large network?

Start with one group of partners that are similar. Complete the canvas for that group. Then use that work to bring the other groups on board.