RE-SOURCING MANAGEMENT? ARCHEOLOGY AS A SOURCE OF KNOWLEDGE

This paper explores common directions between Management studies and Archaeological research stemming from the archaeological discovery of Etruscan and Roman artefacts at the Etruscan-Roman thermo-mineral sanctuary of Bagno Grande in San Casciano dei Bagni, Italy, announced by the Italian Ministry of Culture in November 2022. The paper highlights the innovative approach taken by archaeologists in San Casciano, emphasising the significance of the thermo-mineral water source in the excavation, and departing from the traditional perspectives on ritual and cult focused on sacred water. Three key themes emerge from the analysis: a broader perspective on analysis, placing context over the individual material items; a multidisciplinary approach integrating archaeology, hydrogeology, thermal medicine, and others; and active restitution to the local community through public engagement and information dissemination. The findings suggest parallels between the new archaeological approach and the SoPHIA (Social Platform for Holistic Heritage Impact Assessment) model, emphasising context and ecosystem analysis, multidisciplinarity, and community involvement. The study concludes with reflections on the cultural value from a multidisciplinary perspective, highlighting similarities in research methodologies between Management scholars and Archaeologists. In particular, adopting a relational approach represents the innovative aspect of the research practices analysed. This approach overcomes the analysis of separate entities and detects broader assemblages that foster insights from complex systemic approaches.