Firms can govern their alliances through contractual agreements or equity joint ventures, the latter involving the shared ownership of a newly formed legal entity. This paper argues that the governance choice in a new alliance can be a lever for a firm to manage interdependencies in its alliance portfolio. We examine two related ideas. The first is that the choice of governance structure for a new alliance depends on the composition of a firm's alliance portfolio. The second is that this governance choice has implications for the nature of the firm's innovation outputs. Using data on U.S.-listed dedicated biotechnology firms, we find that firms are more likely to govern a new alliance through a contractual agreement when the accessed resources are similar to the resources available in their existing alliance portfolio. This choice also increases innovation in these similar resource domains. In contrast, firms are more likely to choose an equity joint venture when the accessed resources are complementary to their existing alliance portfolio, a choice that increases innovation in these complementary resource domains. Our findings extend the alliance-portfolio perspective by linking portfolio interdependencies to the governance choices in new alliances and their implications for innovation. • Firms use governance choice in new alliances to manage alliance portfolio interdependencies. • Contracts are preferred when accessing resources similar as in existing alliances. • Joint ventures are preferred when accessing resources complementary to existing alliances. • Governance choice influences the types of innovation outputs the firm achieves. • Contracts foster innovation in similar domains and JVs in complementary domains.

Creativity and innovation, while closely related, are concepts often studied within separate academic traditions. Creativity, rooted in psychology, focuses on micro-level processes, whereas innovation, grounded in economics, management science, and organization theory emphasizes macro-level dynamics. This separation has resulted in limited cross-disciplinary dialogue and a fragmented understanding of their interdependencies. In this paper, we advocate for building metaphorical bridges between creativity and innovation research to foster a more integrated understanding of the production of “the novel and useful” knowledge in organizations. We begin by providing a historical overview of both fields, highlighting their origins, key insights, and methodological approaches. Using a framework that maps four research domains in a two (creativity-innovation) by two (micro-macro) table, we identify existing connections and propose pathways for a more integrated theoretical perspective. We underscore the importance of sustaining these bridges, arguing that such integration is crucial for the continued evolution of both fields. By promoting the integration of separate research streams, we aim to enhance conceptual clarity and address complex challenges that require a holistic approach. This paper introduces the special issue “Connecting Creativity and Innovation Research”, outlining future research directions and showcasing contributions that exemplify and advance this integrative effort. • Addressing the divide between creativity and innovation across academic literatures. • Facilitating a closer theoretical integration between creativity and innovation research. • Elaborating the micro-foundations of innovation. • Incorporating collective organizational levels into the study of creativity. • New approaches to bridge micro and macro in creativity and innovation research.