Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to describe and make sense of the confluence of theoretical and practical preoccupations that contribute to the current interest in place management. Design/methodology/approach – The paper presents an overview and interpretation of trends that have led both policy-makers and academics to an interest in the management and development of places. It demonstrates how various streams of thought coalesce into five key concepts: participation, distinctiveness, knowledge, relationships and values – that provide, at their meeting point, a cross-disciplinary conceptual framework for place management and development. Findings – The field of place management is located – both strategically and challengingly – at the crux of key contemporary policy issues in development and governance. There is a need to draw together insights across disciplines into a conceptual framework that will help both practitioners and academics make sense of the challenges we face. Research limitations/implications – Understanding where we have come from helps them to chart where we are going. There is opportunity to build a new a theoretical and policy framework around place management that articulates why and how place is important in the context of larger development and governance debates. Originality/value – As a big-picture overview of a cutting-edge space, this paper is intended to help both practitioners and academics position their work in its broader context.