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on Economics of Happiness |
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Issue of 2021‒03‒08
five papers chosen by |
| By: | Alpaslan Akay; Gökhan Karabulut; Levent Yilmaz |
| Abstract: | Using longitudinal data from the German Socio-Economic Panel (GSOEP), this paper investigates how pro-active time-use (e.g., in sports/arts/socializing) relates to subjective well-being of the unemployed and their probability of finding a new job. Allowing for a variety of socio-demographic and -economic observed characteristics, we find that pro-activity is negatively associated with the well-being loss upon unemployment. That is, the negative unemployment shock on their well-being is mitigated through various stress-reducing activities including, in particular, art participation, socializing, going on trips, and visiting a church. We also find that the probability of returning to the labor market later is positively associated with pro-activity during the unemployment period. The results are robust to various checks including estimators, measures, and individual personality characteristics which can correlate with time-use activities |
| Keywords: | Life satisfaction; pro-activity; employment; labor markets |
| JEL: | I31 J64 J69 |
| Date: | 2021 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:diw:diwsop:diw_sp1123&r=all |
| By: | Karine Torosyan (International School of Economics at Tbilisi State University, Tbilisi (ISET);); Norberto Pignatti (International School of Economics at Tbilisi State University (ISET), Tbilisi; IZA) |
| Abstract: | Modern women often face an uneasy choice: dedicating their time to reproductive household work, or joining the workforce and spending time away from home and household duties. Both choices are associated with benefits, as well as non-trivial costs, and necessarily involve some trade-offs, influencing the general feeling of happiness women experience given their decision. The trade-offs are especially pronounced in traditional developing countries, where both the pressure for women to stay at home and the need to earn additional income are strong, making the choice even more controversial. To understand the implications of this choice on the happiness of women in these types of countries we compare housewives and working women of the South Caucasus region. The rich data collected annually by the Caucasus Research Resource Center allows us to match working women with their housewife counterparts and to compare the level of happiness across the two groups – separately for each country as well as for Armenian and Azerbaijani minorities residing in Georgia. We find a significant negative happiness gap for working women in Armenia and in Azerbaijan, but not in Georgia. The absence of such a gap among the Armenian and Azerbaijani minorities of Georgia indicates that the gap is mostly a country- rather than an ethnicity-specific effect. |
| Keywords: | Female employment, reproductive housework, life satisfaction and happiness, propensity score matching. |
| Date: | 2020 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:tbs:wpaper:20-001&r=all |
| By: | Prados de la Escosura, Leandro |
| Abstract: | The study of international well-being and its distribution remains focused on income. This paper addresses multidimensional well-being from a capabilities perspective during the last one-and-a-half centuries. Relative inequality (population-weighted) fell in health and education since the late 1920s, due to the globalisation of mass schooling and the health transition, but only dropped from 1970 onwards in terms of political and civil liberties, and declined since 1900 for augmented human development. These results are at odds with per capita income inequality that rose over time and only shrank from 1990 onwards. Relative and absolute well-being distribution behaved differently, with the distance between countries shrinking in relative terms but widening in absolute terms. Countries in the middle and lower deciles of the world distribution achieved the largest relative gain over the last century. Education and political and civil liberties were the main contributors to the evolution of augmented human development inequality, although longevity made a substantial contribution until the 1920s. |
| Keywords: | Augmented Human Development; GDP; Civil And Political Liberties; Schooling; Life Expectancy; Well-Being; Inequality |
| JEL: | O50 O15 N30 I00 |
| Date: | 2021–02–26 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:cte:whrepe:32049&r=all |
| By: | Jameel, Alaa S |
| Abstract: | Organizational Citizenship Behaviors (OCBs) involves voluntary activities which do not form part of the organizational roles of workers and do not explicitly take into account the formal organizational compensation structure even though they improve the organization's general efficiency. To create a safer working environment and enhance job efficiency, education institutions must embrace and promote the OCBs. When workforce demonstrates OCBs actions, and they will increase their level of engagement and improve the performance of institutions. Such organizations would now be able to fulfil their objectives and better serve society. The purpose of the study to examine the impact of Transformational Leadership (TL) on organizational citizenship behaviours (OCBs), as well as the mediating role of job satisfaction (JS) in the Iraqi primary schools. Data collected from 172 teachers in some selected schools in Al Anbar Governorate through questioners and the data analysed by Smart PLS 3.2.9. The results indicated that Transformational leadership impacted teachers OCBs positively. Furthermore, Job satisfaction positively impacted OCBs and mediated between TL and OCBs. Implications the study emphasizes the importance of teachers OCBs and recommends that schools should encourage their mangers and administrative to exhibit more TL (Motivational, stimulating and creative actions). This study demonstrates the degree to which the internal motives of Teachers, particularly their Job satisfaction, lead to extra roles and affect OCBs-leaders from developing country prospects. |
| Date: | 2021–02–21 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:osf:osfxxx:6c8fs&r=all |
| By: | Fix, Blair |
| Abstract: | Humanity's most pressing need is to learn how to live within our planet's boundaries - something that likely means doing without economic growth. How, then, can we create a non-growth society that is both just and equitable? I attempt to address this question by looking at an aspect of sustainability (and equity) that is not often discussed: the growth of hierarchy. As societies consume more energy, they tend to become more hierarchical. At the same time, the growth of hierarchy also seems to be a key driver of income/resource inequality. In this essay, I review the evidence for the joint relation between energy, hierarchy and inequality. I then speculate about what it implies for achieving a sustainable and equitable future. NOTE: This essay was written for and supported by the Seoul Platform for Initiating Discourses on an Equitable and Resilient Society. |
| Keywords: | hierarchy,energy,inequality,power,sustainability,wellbeing |
| JEL: | P16 Q4 D3 |
| Date: | 2021 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:zbw:capwps:202102&r=all |