EN
Let G be a locally compact group. We use the canonical operator space structure on the spaces $L^{p}(G)$ for p ∈ [1,∞] introduced by G. Pisier to define operator space analogues $OA_{p}(G)$ of the classical Figà-Talamanca-Herz algebras $A_{p}(G)$. If p ∈ (1,∞) is arbitrary, then $A_{p}(G) ⊂ OA_{p}(G)$ and the inclusion is a contraction; if p = 2, then OA₂(G) ≅ A(G) as Banach spaces, but not necessarily as operator spaces. We show that $OA_{p}(G)$ is a completely contractive Banach algebra for each p ∈ (1,∞), and that $OA_{q}(G) ⊂ OA_{p}(G)$ completely contractively for amenable G if 1 < p ≤ q ≤ 2 or 2 ≤ q ≤ p < ∞. Finally, we characterize the amenability of G through the existence of a bounded approximate identity in $OA_{p}(G)$ for one (or equivalently for all) p ∈ (1,∞).