DOCSLIB.ORG

Gross Workplace Happiness

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Gross Workplace Happiness Gross Workplace Happiness Kokkorn Klaiyam1 Athiwat Jiawiwatkul2 Even though Thailand went through the worst disaster in the national history, “Great Flood 2011,” what Thais offered to each other at such a difficult time was generosity, sharing, and happiness. The word “Happiness” is implied to human’s feeling and meant differently for different people, measuring happiness thus not an easy task. We cannot measure every cause of happiness. Those who are interested in measuring happiness shall give a clear definition of happiness and explain the process of measuring it. Knowing the small country like the Kingdom of Bhutan drew attention of Thais and other nations on measuring of gross happiness. A former king of Bhutan has put greater emphasis on Gross National Happiness (GNH) than GDP as an indicator of wellbeing and peace among the people since 1972. He announced the “Gross National Happiness” philosophy as the highest goal in developing country, under 4 important policies: (1) economic development, (2) environment preservation, (3) cultural promotion, and (4) good governance. According to the 2005 Bhutan population and housing censuses, it shows that almost all of Bhutanese are happy (96.7%). In addition, there are key indicators of Bhutanese’s gross happiness, which consist of 10 embodiments surveyed annually, that is: (1) mental happiness, which includes health, happiness from material, work and life balance, and relationship, (2) cultural diversity, (3) education, (4) wellbeing, (5) time use and balance, (6) good management, (7) community strength, (8) biological diversity, (9) living standard, and (10) agriculture. Leading academics in many countries agree that Bhutan’s way to measure gross happiness is well studied and researched in both quantitative and qualitative. Today, development requires attention in many ways, including mental condition, environment, justice, and peace. The goal for development should not focus only on economic growth. Many social issues, such as inequality in income distribution, stress, domestic and social violence, alert the world to reconsider development direction and more meaningful indicators. It is realized that having high economic growth rate does not associate with high people’s happiness. 1 Staff of the Database and Information System Development Project for Healthy Organization, supported by Thai Health Promotion Foundation. 2 Lecturer, National Institute for Child and Family Development, Mahidol University, Thailand 1 Therefore, many world institutes have developed key indicators which can compare and reflects happiness of people in the society, such as Happy Planet Index (HPI) by the Center for Wellbeing Studies at New Economic Foundation (NEF). The index, which bases on the concept of wellbeing on the limited amount of natural resource, considers relationship between wellbeing and consumed natural resource. A country that is received a high index number implies to the country that manages natural resource efficiently for its people’s wellbeing. The important indicators are life span, contentment, and ecological footprint3. The 2010 ranking showed that the United States was 114th because the large amount of natural resource was used in spite of the high living standard. Thailand was ranked 41st. In addition, the Institute for Economics and Peace and the Economist Intelligent Unit published “Global Peace Index,” which was intended to measure and compare happiness level of nations and continents by 24 indicators. The index has been initiated since 2007 and continued annually. In 2011, 153 countries participated in the ranking. The happiest country was Iceland, while the unhappiest countries were Sudan, Iraq and Somalia. Thailand was ranked 107th, climbed up 19 places from 126th in 2010. Comparing Thailand with its neighbors in ASEAN, Thailand was higher than Cambodia (115th), Myanmar (133rd), and Philippines (136th). The highest in ASEAN was Malaysia (19th), followed by Singapore (24th), and Vietnam (30th). The causes of Thailand’s low score are crime, human right violation, and internal conflict. In Thailand, the “wellbeing and happiness indicators” was brought in as part of the country’s development in the 8th National Economic and Social Development Plan (NESDP) (1997- 2001), and the 9th NESDP (2002-2006). The plan emphasizes on integration and human-centered development. The achievement was measured by impacts of human development and benefits to living standard of the people in 7 areas: (1) health and nutrition, (2) education, (3) working life, (4) family life, (5) economic growth, poverty, income and welfare distribution, (6) environment and safety, and (7) participatory state. The 10th NESDP (2007-2011) aims toward “peaceful society,” which extends the concept of wellbeing and happiness indicators to “peacefulness indicator” as a tool to evaluate the development impact to the people in Thai society. The key concept of gross national happiness implies to people’s understanding and participation in the country’s mission. But before the country achieves its proper goal and measurement, it takes a long time to learn from the mistake. Since Thailand’s majority population 3 Ecological footprint was first used in 1996 by two community planners from University of British Columbia, Canada. The ecological footprint bases on the fact that all living creatures consume natural resource for surviving. The consumption is similar to a footprint on the world’s ecology. A larger footprint means greater consumption (Green World Foundation, Environment Terms, retrieved from http://www.greenworld.or.th/node/172 on 14 February 2011). 2 is in working age, if we can partly create happiness such as happiness at work, and create a proper indicator. The goal is to raise “gross workplace happiness” at every organization in its own way. The combined results reflect wellbeing and quality of life of people in the nation. Therefore, Happy Workplace Office, under Healthy Organization Promotion Section, Thai Health Promotion Foundation, created the guideline Happy 8 to serve various human needs that are: good health (Happy Body), generosity (Happy Heart), relaxation (Happy Relax), adherence to a religion (Happy Soul), good financial status (Happy Money), knowledge development (Happy Brain), good family (Happy Family), and contented society (Happy Society). The main target is the “people in organizations,” which are important to family, community and society in developing policy, building knowledge, and expanding network for improving quality of life for working people. The happiness of people in organizations creates good impacts to the operation or productivity of the organization, happiness and peace in the family, community and society. Reference Noppadon Kannika, Netnapit Laeiud, and Ponpop Sangthong. From the Bhutan’s Happiness Gauge to a Research of Thai People’s Gross Happiness. Retrieved 11 August 2011 from http://www.abacpollcourses.au.edu/happiness/philo/anop/ABAC_POLL_Model_of_Measurem ent_for_Predicting_the_GDH_in_Thailand.pdf. (in Thai) Patrajit Jumpol Gozzole. (2010). Happiness Measurement. Journal of Economics and Socials 47(3): 34-38. (in Thai) Institute for Economics & Peace. (2011). Global Peace Index 2011. Retrieved December 13,2011,from http://www.visionofhumanity.org/wp- content/uploads/2011/05/2011-GPI-Results-Report-Final.pdf. (in Thai) 3 .
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Gross National Happiness and Human Development – Searching for Common Ground
    Gross National Happiness and Human Development – Searching for Common Ground Opening statement to the Workshop Lyonpo Jigmi Y. Thinley Chairman of the Council of Minister May I first of all express my immense pleasure to be here this morning to attend the inauguration of this important workshop. I would like to thank Lyonpo Yeshey Zimba, Chairman of the Planning Commission, for his warm words of welcome to all of us. I would like to extend my own greetings and welcome to all the participants from both Bhutan and other countries. All of you have taken considerable trouble to contribute to the discussion on Gross National Happiness, which was first enunciated by His Majesty the King. Your abiding interest in the concept has been one of the main stimuli to organise this workshop. I am glad to note that almost all of you, who responded to Kuensel’s publication of the keynote speech I made in the UNDP Millennium Meeting for Asia and the Pacific in Seoul, are present in the workshop. I would like to take this opportunity to say how very much I appreciated your contributions that helped to bring many aspects of the concept to the fore. The intellectual management and guidance of today’s workshop is in the hands of two experts in the area: Mr. A. K. Shiva Kumar, an economist and Mr. Sudhir Kakar, a psychological anthropologist. We thank UNDP for the support to field them, as well as for their generous assistance in many spheres of human development activities. The combination of a distinguished economist and a leading psychological anthropologist, as facilitators, is most appropriate for this workshop.
    [Show full text]
  • A Tool for Bridging Digital Divide in Bhutan Binu Thomas Lecturer, Computer Science and Th
    Geographic Information System - A Tool for Bridging Digital Divide in Bhutan Binu Thomas Lecturer, Computer Science And Th. Shanta Kumar Lecturer, Computer Science Dept. of Mathematics and Computer Science Sherubtse College, Kanglung Bhutan Abstract Digital Divide refers to the gap between individuals, households, businesses and geographic areas at different socio-economic levels with regard to their opportunities to access information and communication technologies (ICTs) vis-à-vis their ability to use digital information for a wide variety of activities. The success of any developing country in the modern world depends on its ability to use the potentials of ICT in the process of development. Geographical Information System (GIS) is a potentially powerful device for integrating, manipulating and communicating information and it can be used as a powerful tool to bridge the Digital Divide by creating valuable reports and map representation for developing infrastructure and community development. Bhutan finds ICT as a driving force for the promotion of a sustainable, dynamic and vibrant Information Society, contributing to poverty alleviation, robust economic growth and significant increase in GNP. But Bhutan’s rugged geography and isolated, land- locked status makes digital divide a serious concern in its endeavor for development through ICT. In the light of these, the paper attempts to provide an insight about the extent of Digital Divide in Bhutan and its effect on the country’s pursuit of economic development and “Gross National Happiness” with the support of ICT. The paper also tries to emphasize on the role of GIS in bridging the Digital Divide in Bhutan by mapping the locations for infrastructure and community centre development.
    [Show full text]
  • In Pursuit of Happiness, Bhutan Opens to Globalization and Business
    In Pursuit of Happiness, Bhutan Opens to Globalization and Business Kimberly A. Freeman, Ph.D. Mercer University Katherine C. Jackson Mercer University ABSTRACT The Kingdom of Bhutan, a small country situated on the border between China and India, has in recent years become a constitutional democratic monarchy. As part of its 2008 constitution, Bhutan committed to promote conditions that would enable the pursuit of Gross National Happiness. The country thus initiated an effort to improve the quality of life and happiness for its citizens and has embraced globalization far more than previously through attracting business, tourism, and communications. The author’s herein address some of the initiatives provide the context within which these efforts have arisen. Keywords: Bhutan; Gross National Happiness (GNH); Globalization; Constitutional democratic monarchy 1. Introduction In 2006, the 4th King of Bhutan, Jigme Singye Wangchuck, decided he wanted to open Bhutan up to the world and usher in modernization. Forty years ago, in 1972, Bhutan’s fourth king stated that “Bhutan should pursue Gross National Happiness (GNH) rather than Gross National Product (GNP)…with an emphasis not only on economic growth, but also on culture, mental health, social values, compassion, and community” (Sachs, 2011, p. 2) He chose to abdicate the throne to his eldest son and announced Bhutan would hold its first general elections in 2008. His son, King Jigme Khesar Namgyal Wangchuck, took the throne of the new democratic Bhutan on December 14, 2006. Jigme Yoser Thinley was elected prime minister in the election, and Bhutan’s constitution was ratified on July 18, 2008. The concept of GNH has a very long history in Bhutan.
    [Show full text]
  • Development and Its Impacts on Traditional Dispute Resolution in Bhutan
    Washington University Journal of Law & Policy Volume 63 New Directions in Domestic and International Dispute Resolution 2020 Formalizing the Informal: Development and its Impacts on Traditional Dispute Resolution in Bhutan Stephan Sonnenberg Seoul National University School of Law Follow this and additional works at: https://openscholarship.wustl.edu/law_journal_law_policy Part of the Comparative and Foreign Law Commons, and the Dispute Resolution and Arbitration Commons Recommended Citation Stephan Sonnenberg, Formalizing the Informal: Development and its Impacts on Traditional Dispute Resolution in Bhutan, 63 WASH. U. J. L. & POL’Y 143 (2020), https://openscholarship.wustl.edu/law_journal_law_policy/vol63/iss1/11 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Law School at Washington University Open Scholarship. It has been accepted for inclusion in Washington University Journal of Law & Policy by an authorized administrator of Washington University Open Scholarship. For more information, please contact [email protected]. FORMALIZING THE INFORMAL: DEVELOPMENT AND ITS IMPACTS ON TRADITIONAL DISPUTE RESOLUTION IN BHUTAN Stephan Sonnenberg* INTRODUCTION Bhutan is a small landlocked country with less than a million inhabitants, wedged between the two most populous nations on earth, India and China.1 It is known for its stunning Himalayan mountain ranges and its national development philosophy of pursuing “Gross National Happiness” (GNH).2 This paper argues, however, that Bhutan should also be known for its rich heritage of traditional dispute resolution. That system kept the peace in Bhutanese villages for centuries: the product of Bhutan’s unique history and its deep (primarily Buddhist) spiritual heritage. Sadly, these traditions are today at risk of extinction, victims—it is argued below—of Bhutan’s extraordinary process of modernization.
    [Show full text]
  • Gross National Happiness in Bhutan: a Living Example of an Alternative Approach to Progress
    University of Pennsylvania ScholarlyCommons Social Impact Research Experience (SIRE) Wharton Undergraduate Research 9-2009 Gross National Happiness in Bhutan: A Living Example of an Alternative Approach to Progress Alejandro Adler University of Pennsylvania Follow this and additional works at: https://repository.upenn.edu/sire Part of the Business Commons, and the Social and Cultural Anthropology Commons Adler, Alejandro, "Gross National Happiness in Bhutan: A Living Example of an Alternative Approach to Progress" (2009). Social Impact Research Experience (SIRE). 1. https://repository.upenn.edu/sire/1 This paper is posted at ScholarlyCommons. https://repository.upenn.edu/sire/1 For more information, please contact [email protected]. Gross National Happiness in Bhutan: A Living Example of an Alternative Approach to Progress Abstract As a society we care about what we measure, we use what we measure, and what we measure drives policies and society in a particular direction. We therefore need to measure progress correctly. If societies blindly accept GDP as their measure of progress, they might be trying to maximize the wrong indicator for society. In this paper I present Bhutan as a living example of a society that has opened a national dialogue about what progress means, and they have created the Gross National Happiness (GNH) index to reflect their understanding of progress. Furthermore, the political and economic architecture of Bhutan is structured around maximizing GNH rather than GDP. Institutions in Bhutan use the GNH index and a series of instruments of policy to construct policies that promote GNH. We can draw a number of lessons from the Bhutanese experiment, namely that each individual society should strive to answer the following three questions: • What does progress mean? • How do we develop indicators that measure progress? • How de we use indicators to shape policies and institutions? All societies seek to create wellbeing for individuals.
    [Show full text]
  • Gross National Happiness
    GROSS NATIONAL HAPPINESS Prarthana Gupta ([email protected] ) (Discussion paper put together as volunteer with Kalpavriksh, March 2014) Introduction This paper seeks to understand the basics of the Gross National Happiness Index (from here on referred to as the ‘GNH’), from it development and analyse its evolution over the many years it has been an integral part of Bhutan’s development. The term ‘Gross National Happiness’, was first coined by the 4 th King of Bhutan Jigme Singye Wangchuck. The 1729 legal code declared that “if the Government cannot create happiness ( dekid ) for its people, there is no purpose for the Government to exist.” 1 In 1972, the 4th King declared Gross National Happiness to be more important than GNP. ‘Happiness’ is defined as a measure of not only subjective well-being to the other exclusion of other dimensions, thus making this measure multi-dimensional, and internalises other regarding motivations. This paper is broadly divided into three sections, each referring to a different aspect of the GNH. The sections have been made to facilitate easy understanding of the concept of GNH, methodology of its application, analysis of its performance: advantages and problems faced, and mapping its evolution. SECTION 1: The Concept of GNH as used in Bhutan GNH as a measure of development is given prime importance as the measure of growth than the conventionally used GNP/GDP measure my all other countries. Happiness has naturally evolved from the constituent features of Bhutanese society before 1959, a socio-economic system based on a Buddhist and feudal set of values. This reiterated the fact that Bhutan’s yard-stick of economic development has been the well-being of its people, rather than the economic progress the country is making.
    [Show full text]
  • Digital Transformation in Bhutan: Culture, Workforce and Training
    DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION IN BHUTAN: CULTURE, WORKFORCE AND TRAINING Sonam Tobgye Bachelors in Commerce (University of Delhi, India) Masters in Commerce (University of Delhi, India) Postgraduate Diploma in Management (University of Calgary, Canada) Thesis by Monograph Submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy School of Media & Communications Queensland University of Technology Brisbane, Queensland AUSTRALIA 2017 Keywords Digital Transformation, ICTs, E-Government, Bhutan Post, Commercially-oriented & Digitally –enabled Organization, Community Centres, Digital Divide, Poverty Reduction, Gross Organizational Happiness (GOH), Well-being and Gross National Happiness (GNH) DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION IN BHUTAN: CULTURE, WORKFORCE AND TRAINING i Abstract Digital transformation has brought about significant impact on Bhutan's traditional society and culture. It has had a major effect on culture, workforce practices and training needs within a period of just over 15 years. The transformation has brought along-with positive and negative effects. However, no studies have been conducted in Bhutan to understand the fundamentals of the impact of digital transformation. There exists a critical gap which, if the benefits of digital transformation are to be maximized (and negative impacts minimised), must be addressed urgently through credible research so as to guide the development of strategic policy instruments to take full advantage of the digital transformation. This research responds to such a need by understanding the extent, magnitude and direction of the impact of digital transformation on Bhutanese society, culture in general and, in particular, on Bhutan Post Community Centres (CCs), to recommend the best course of action that Bhutan or Bhutan Post management could take in further adopting the ICTs for its benefits while minimising its negative impacts on the same.
    [Show full text]
  • Gross National Happiness-Based Economic Growth Recommendations for Private Sector Growth Consistent with Bhutanese Values
    Gross National Happiness-Based Economic Growth Recommendations for Private Sector Growth Consistent with Bhutanese Values Allen Koji Ukai 2016 Master in Public Policy Candidate Submitted March 29th, 2016 Updated May 30th, 2016 Submitted to: Ryan Sheely, Faculty Advisor/Seminar Leader Harvard Kennedy School Kesang Wangdi, Deputy Secretary General Bhutan Chamber of Commerce This Policy Analysis Exercise (PAE) reflects the views of the author and should not be viewed as representing the views of the PAE's external client (the Bhutan Chamber of Commerce & Industry), its interviewees, nor those of Harvard University or any of its faculty. It is submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master in Public Policy Table of Contents List of Acronyms ........................................................................................................................................... 2 Executive Summary ....................................................................................................................................... 3 Economic Development According to Gross National Happiness ................................................................ 4 Gross Domestic Product, Its Implications, and Its Shortcomings .............................................................. 4 Gross National Happiness and Its Impact within Bhutan .......................................................................... 5 Bhutan’s Underdeveloped Private Sector .....................................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Gross National Happiness
    Gross National Happiness The Himalayan nation of Bhutan has been a leader in development decide to put something as ephemeral as devising and promoting an alternative development happiness fi rst? paradigm called gross national happiness. The king’s Th e king’s statement signaled that Bhutan’s develop- statement “Gross National Happiness is more impor- ment process would grow out of its own cultural context, tant than Gross National Product” arose from including its ancient Vajrayana Buddhist traditions, rather Buddhism, which recognizes the transitory nature of than being imposed by foreign experts. Development material satisfactions. This view, together with the fi nd- would need to support the Buddhist quest for enlighten- ings of positive psychology, is encouraging Western ment for the good of all sentient beings—a quest associ- nations to measure the full spectrum of human ated with the development of enduring equanimity, well-being. compassion, and spiritual inspiration at the individual and collective levels. n 1972, the fourth king of the Himalayan nation of I Bhutan, King Jigme Singye Wangchuk, proclaimed, Buddhist Roots “Gross National Happiness is more important than Gross National Product”—a statement that challenged In articulating gross national happiness (GNH), the king prevailing economic development theories around the drew on Bhutan’s deep well of compassion for and non- world. violence toward all sentient beings, based in its 1,200- Th e proclamation was especially bold because tiny, year history of Buddhism. His statement connected with mountainous Bhutan, wedged between India and China, previous policies, also grounded in Buddhism. A 1675 was—at that time—one of the world’s least-developed Buddhist equivalent of a social contract declared that and most-isolated nations.
    [Show full text]
  • Gross National Happiness’ 5
    Using a Policy of ‘Gross National Happiness’ 5 Using a Policy of ‘Gross National Happiness’ to Guide the Development of Sustainable Early Learning Programs in the Kingdom of Bhutan: Aspirations and Challenges Jessica Ball University of Victoria Karma Chimi Wangchuk Royal University of Bhutan Abstract A national study on demand for early childhood care and development programs in Bhutan found strong support for development of a new early childhood care and development (ECCD) sector. A wide range of stakeholders participating in the study, including ministries of education and health, post-secondary institutions, private preschool providers, community management committees, parents and children, emphasized the goal of preschool to promote success in English-medium formal education. Promoting cultural traditions was also a priority, while developing children’s proficiency in home languages was hardly mentioned. The study highlighted the changing needs of Bhutanese families in the current context of increasing urbanization, dual career parents, and a shift from extended to nuclear family homes. Recommendations derived from the study encouraged a made in Bhutan approach to ECCD policy, programs, and professional education. Subsequent to the study, the national education policy included plans for implementation of ECCD covering children from birth to 8 years old. To ensure the sustainability and cultural congruence of new programs and investments with the Kingdom’s Gross National Happiness Policy, a Gross National Happiness Commission screened and approved the new National Education Policy, which the Ministry of Education is charged with implementing. The emergence of an ECCD sector in Bhutan points to the role that national aspirations and value-driven policies and review processes could play in maintaining language diversity and transmitting culturally based knowledge.
    [Show full text]
  • The Politics of Gross National Happiness Image and Practice In
    The Politics of Gross National Happiness Image and Practice in the Implementation of Bhutan’s Multidimensional Development Strategy by Kent Schroeder A Thesis presented to the University of Guelph In partial fulfillment of requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Political Science and International Development Guelph, Ontario, Canada © Kent Schroeder, April, 2014 ABSTRACT THE POLITICS OF GROSS NATIONAL HAPPINESS Kent Schroeder Advisor: University of Guelph, 2014 Craig Johnson This study investigates the practices of governance in Bhutan and how they shape the agency of diverse actors involved in implementing development policies related to the country’s Gross National Happiness (GNH) strategy. It examines whether Bhutan’s GNH governance framework is able to shape the politics of policy implementation in a manner that generates multidimensional development outcomes that are consistent with GNH policy intentions. Using an analytical lens rooted in the state-in-society approach, the study comparatively analyzes four GNH policies – media, tourism, farm roads and human/wildlife conflict – and the GNH governance tools that seek to shape their implementation. Semi-structured individual and focus group interviews were undertaken with 157 state and non-state governance actors supplemented by site visits, participant observation and document analysis. The findings demonstrate several interconnected themes. First, GNH policy implementation is a complex process of conflictive, cooperative and isolating practices characterized by fractured expressions of power. Governance actors have different degrees of influence in different policy fields, geographic regions or constellations of governance actors. These fractured expressions of power are not shaped in any meaningful way by GNH governance instruments. Nor are they rooted in a common understanding of GNH itself.
    [Show full text]
  • Gross National Happiness Through Icts for Development: a Case Study of the Jakar Community Multimedia Center
    Gross National Happiness through ICTs for Development: A Case Study of the Jakar Community Multimedia Center Dr. Seema Murugan∗ Introduction Three very pertinent questions form the content of this research paper. The first question is how can Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) meaningfully lead to ‘development’ in its truest sense? This may be possible through the Community Multimedia Center (CMC) which can turn a marginalized, secluded community suffering from information poverty into a community that may then be termed as ‘Information Society’. Secondly, how can a CMC play a pivotal role in harnessing the twin philosophies of Gross National Happiness (GNH) and Development? The present paper then continues to examine the potentialities within the Jakar Community Multimedia Center (as a center for media and public culture) in preserving and promoting the unique cultural heritage of Bhutan. In conclusion, the paper lauds and supports His Royal Majesty’s unique concept of GNH as a true indicator of people’s development in Bhutan by settling down on its title: Gross National Happiness through ICT for Development. This paper is focuses into an examination of these three aspects within the focal theme of “Media and Public Culture in Bhutan”. ICTs for Development: The Case of the CMC The telegraph, telephone, radio, television, telex, facsimile, computer, microprocessor, communication satellite, optical fibre, and networking are all inventions that emerged in the ∗ Assistant Professor, Department of Humanities & Social Sciences, Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur, India. 172 Gross National Happiness through ICTs for Development last century and a half. Together they constitute what is commonly termed as ICT, i.e.
    [Show full text]