Can Formal Rules Promote Happiness in the Workplace? The Influence of Formalization, Types of Rules and Organizational Identity on an Employee’s Happiness

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Type and Duration

PhD-Thesis, September 2008 until January 2013 (finished)

Coordinator

Chair in Management

Main Research

Growth and Complexity

Field of Research

Enterprise

Description

Philosophy has explored what the term happiness describes and how
it can be achieved in great depth. A common distinction of happiness
in the literature is made between the direct experience of enjoyment
(hedonism) and the experience of living in accordance with one's true
self (eudaimonia).
Through my research I will analyze how these two forms of happiness
influence employee behaviour, how they are influenced by different
facets of work and how a company can support its employees in
becoming happy. This will mainly be achieved through empirical
research (qualitative and quantitative).
Investigating the sources of happiness is not only beneficial for
workplace improvements, but also for general improvement of
physical, psychological and social health of a society.