Leading Humanistic Transformation of Business, Economy and Society: Lessons From Olivetti’s Blueprint

Building on the core pillars of Humanistic Management–dignity, ethics, and legitimacy–this study examines how these principles were enacted across organizational, community, and societal levels, and how Humanistic Leadership translated a normative vision of business into concrete managerial, social, and institutional practices. Using an exemplary historical single-case study and an abductive approach, it analyzes Olivetti, the Italian company developed under Adriano Olivetti’s visionary leadership between World War II and 1960. The findings identify Olivetti as a historical example of these principles in practice, showing how dignity, ethics, and legitimacy interacted across multiple levels of leadership to foster both business success and social acceptance. At the same time, the case reveals that the long-term sustainability of this model depended not only on visionary leadership and organizational practices but also on their broader institutional embedding. Olivetti’s legacy serves as an analytical lens for critically reflecting on the transformative potential of Humanistic Management and Humanistic Leadership and the institutional conditions needed to support values-based transformation of business and society and challenge contemporary capitalist logics.