Purpose: In times that challenge businesses, requiring them to make strategic and operational changes due to downturns in the economy or environmental requirements, governments may initiate business renewal nets (BRNs) to foster development among firms. Knowledge is central to such initiatives. Drawing on a knowledge perspective, this paper aims to explain how the knowledge created and exchanged in BRNs is used and developed by the involved firms beyond the nets' temporal and spatial boundaries.

Design/methodology/approach: A multiple case study approach of two BRNs in Sweden was adopted, drawing on interviews, observations, documents and informal meetings with net participants and governmental bodies.

Findings: The paper finds that knowledge use and development beyond the net are conditional on the (1) within-net knowledge arrangement; (2) relative knowledge distance between the nets' participating parties; (3) parties' engagement in the cause; and (4) involvement of these parties in within-net knowledge exchange and creation.

Research limitations/implications: The paper helps explain the characteristics of knowledge exchange and creation that contribute to knowledge use and development beyond nets. It theorises four dimensions to explain whether knowledge is used or developed beyond the net. These are knowledge arrangement, knowledge distance, knowledge engagement and knowledge contingency.

Practical implications: The paper provides strategic advice for those establishing BRNs to ensure that aims are met.

Originality/value: Adopting a knowledge perspective in the interorganisational context, the paper contributes to past research on net initiatives by linking beyond-net knowledge use and development with the within-net circumstances, offering propositions for BRN success.