| 3N1 | Accumulating the partner-related knowledge required for services such as partners' goals, competencies and directions for growth | Kindstrom and Kowalkowski (2014), Kindström et al. (2013), Oliva and Kallenberg (2003), Parida et al. (2014), Sjödin et al. (2016), Lütjen et al. (2019), Raddats et al. (2017) |
| 3N2 | Determining the processes outsourced to external partners considering the benefits and risks of the service business | Alghisi and Saccani (2015), Huikkola et al. (2016), Kindstrom and Kowalkowski (2014), Kindström et al. (2013), Story et al. (2017), Fischer et al. (2010), Perona et al. (2017), Lütjen et al. (2019) |
| 3N3 | Identifying optimum partners to compensate for the resources and competencies lacking in the company | Barquet et al. (2013), Parida et al. (2014), Reim et al. (2015), Kindström and Kindstrom (2010), Wei et al. (2020), Lütjen et al. (2019) |
| 3N4 | Establishing the optimum incentives for partners to avoid competition with them | Alghisi and Saccani (2015), Kindstrom and Kowalkowski (2014), Parida et al. (2014), Sjödin et al. (2016), Turunen and Finne (2014) |
| 3N5 | Training partners to maintain service quality standards | Alghisi and Saccani (2015), Kucza and Gebauer (2011), Oliva and Kallenberg (2003), Paiola et al. (2013), Parida et al. (2014) |
| 3N6 | Sharing knowledge and mutual learning to construct long-term relationships with partners | Chen et al. (2016), Huikkola et al. (2016), Paiola et al. (2013), Raddats et al. (2017), Reim et al. (2015), Story et al. (2017), Kohtamäki et al. (2018) |