Bocconi University to Host International Workshop on Strategic Human Capital

Bocconi University will bring together leading scholars and practitioners on 16–17 December for a two-day workshop dedicated to the evolving landscape of strategic human capital. Strategic human capital theory (SHC) treats employees as valuable assets, aligning HR practices like recruiting, development, and performance management with core business goals to drive long-term success, innovation, and competitive advantage, moving beyond just administrative HR to optimize workforce potential for achieving strategic objectives.

Hosted at the Roentgen Campus and organized by Miguel Espinosa (Department of Management and Technology), the event will convene researchers from top global institutions—among them Wharton, INSEAD, LBS, ESSEC, and Oxford—to explore cutting-edge insights on talent, organizational design, and the future of work.

The program will open with sessions on networks, social capital, and performance dynamics, featuring new evidence on how technological and collaborative roles shape career progression, as well as how gig-worker referrals affect retention and performance. Subsequent discussions will delve into ownership structures, post-acquisition human-capital reconfiguration, and pay inequality.

The workshop will also include exploration sessions on the role of middle managers in strategic human capital and on theory-driven perspectives of the firm. The program includes an interdisciplinary panel and a poster session showcasing emerging research.

Other parts of the workshop will look at strategic selection processes, managerial talent, spatial drivers of human-capital capability, and the visibility of support within organizations. The event concludes with a panel on SHC and AI, where experts from Wharton School, IESE, and the University of South Carolina will examine how artificial intelligence is reshaping workforce strategy.

For further information, please contact Miguel Espinosa.