Managing the ecosystem

While the emphasis early on was on the physical development, along the way developers started realising that science and technology parks (STPs) require an entirely different approach. This paper starts with presenting an overview of the development of the STP‐concept and the impact of management on the success of these parks. In The Netherlands that success is to a certain extent often hampered by the fact that several parties are involved, having their own responsibilities. A simple model is described in which daily management can have control over the socio‐economic and the physical aspects. This model can also be used for co‐innovation parks and the upcoming concept of innovation districts (all together:innovation areas). In the last part it is stated that changing concepts have led to changes in management and this evolution will continue due to, among others, globalisation.