ABSTRACT
This chapter develops a new governance model whereby cluster organisation, formation and management can be successful: the collaborative alliance model. As main differentiator, this model is defined by the absence of creating a new legal entity for the founded cluster. Furthermore, it is based on the following main characteristics. (1) It is bottom-up driven by the needs of the stakeholders. (2) It is built on existing operations and activities of the stakeholders. (3) It incorporates the sharing of opportunities and risks and resources and results. (4) It is action driven. (5) It is trust based. The model could be particularly of interest for smaller organisations that want to set up clusters, consortia or structural partnerships and cannot afford (or want to avoid) the administrative overhead related to the creation (and discontinuation) of a legal entity. Also, it could be beneficial for all other stakeholders (government, academia, industry and so on) that want to explore such clusters and partnerships, while remaining agile towards changes in its constitution and governance. This chapter stresses that an alternative collaboration model is needed in an era where purpose and sustainability seem to gain importance over ownership and profit. This chapter explores how such a model based on the example of a technology cluster can be transferred to the domain of creative clusters.
