Governance of creative industries

The increasing acceptance of creative industries as a sphere of socio-economic activity gives rise to the question how this sector can be promoted appropriately. This paper comprises a theoretical discussion and an empirical analysis of different modes of governance at two contrasting locations in Germany, taking the example of the software/games industry sector. Specifically, we shall look both at formal and informal mechanisms of coordination. We explore to what extent the existing political-administrative support structures at the two selected locations are adapted appropriately to the internal organisation and the special characteristics of these sectors. Our results point to the difficulties in designing market-specific and location-specific strategies aimed at different environments. Finally, this paper aims to contribute to the understanding of how traditional political institutions can further adapt to the demand for more flexible governance, such as is needed by the creative industries.