Developing Human Centered Approach by Leveraging on Collaborative Networks: A Preliminary Empirical Investigation

Organizations are increasingly facing labor shortages driven by demographic change and growing competition for skilled workers. While human-centered management practices have emerged as a promising response, existing research has primarily examined them within organizations, with limited attention to their potential development through collaborative networks. This paper investigates how human-centered practices can be developed through collaborative networks. Drawing on 10 case studies located in an Italian area with severe labor shortage, this study identifies the practices that companies could jointly develop and details the specific initiatives of each practice that could be implemented at the collaborative networks level. The findings suggest that collaborative networks are particularly beneficial for SMEs, as they enable firms to strengthen human-centered practices that would be difficult to implement independently. By demonstrating how collaborative networks can support the development of human-centered approach, the study bridges the human-centered management and collaborative networks literature, contributing to both research streams.