Our research aims at a further development of the interaction oriented network approach. Empirical evidence supports the positive effect of the innovation networks? balanced management, social interaction as well as network stability on network retention. It materializes for the proposed four management functions within innovation networks. Furthermore, we pay special attention to the moderating effect of spatial proximity. We specified the conceptual framework as a structural equation model. Based on a sample of 79 respondents we found diverging results between national and international innovation networks.