How support mechanisms relate to value creation in multi-stakeholder networks: a mixed-methods study across Wenger's five cycles

Introduction Multi-stakeholder educational networks can provide diverse opportunities for professional learning, yet less is known about how different forms of support relate to the value participants experience through network participation. Drawing on the Value Creation Framework and five support mechanisms identified in earlier qualitative work, this study examined patterns of association between support mechanisms and the five value creation cycles. Methods The study re-analysed qualitative data from 26 participants across five national stakeholder networks in Estonia, Lithuania, Finland, Georgia, and Norway. Semi-structured interviews and open-ended survey responses were coded across the five value creation cycles and five support mechanisms, after which coded references were aggregated at participant level and examined using descriptive statistics and Spearman's rank-order correlations. Results Potential Value was the most prominent form of value in participants' accounts, whereas Applied Value and Reframing Value were less frequently represented. The exploratory correlation analysis revealed differentiated patterns across support mechanisms. Capacity Building showed the broadest pattern of significant positive associations, spanning Immediate, Potential, Applied, and Realised Value. Recognised Expertise was associated with Potential, Realised, and Reframing Value, while Joint Projects, Personalised Support, and Knowledge-Sharing Platforms showed more specific patterns of association. Discussion These findings suggest that different forms of network-embedded support may be salient for different forms of value creation rather than operating through a single or fixed developmental sequence. The study contributes an exploratory perspective on how structural and relational forms of support intersect with value creation in heterogeneous multi-stakeholder educational networks.