Knowledge as a Driver for Organizational Change: The Italian Case of the Office for the Trial

This research provides the first evidence of the Justice System's change management path in response to exogenous change pressures from Europe, the National Recovery and Resilience Plan, and the Italian legislature. The research, in particular, depicts the Justice System's institutional change scenario through mixed methods; investigates the organizational models of the Offices for the Trial, which represent symbolic manifestations of the reforming process; and analyzes the HR practices of the Office for the Trial employees, who constitute unprecedented professional figures recruited ad hoc to pursue the National Recovery and Resilience Plan goals, which are set for June 2026. The study is part of a broader initiative named StartUpp, which stands for "Models, Systems, and Competencies for Implementing the Office for the Trial." The Ministry of Justice coordinates the project, which is supported via the 2014-2020 Governance and Institutional Capacity Plan. The University of Salerno is assisting four judicial offices in the province of Salerno, which is the subject of this study, as part of the project's macro-areas. The authors used the TREE change and knowledge management methodology to analyze the state of implementation of the Office for the Trial, highlighting the gaps from the planned objectives, as well as the critical application of the elements of innovation introduced, laying the groundwork for co-design and knowledge sharing with all stakeholders involved in a new reconfiguration of the Office for the Trial capable of generating value for the community.