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Time Affluence as a Path toward Personal Happiness and Ethical Business Practice: Empirical Evidence from Four Studies

Journal of Business Ethics volume 84, pages 243–255 (2009)Cite this article

Abstract

Many business practices focus on maximizing material affluence, or wealth, despite the fact that a growing empirical literature casts doubt on whether money can buy happiness. We therefore propose that businesses consider the possibility of “time affluence” as an alternative model for improving employee well-being and ethical business practice. Across four studies, results consistently showed that, even after controlling for material affluence, the experience of time affluence was positively related to subjective well-being. Studies 3 and 4 further demonstrated that the experience of mindfulness and the satisfaction of psychological needs partially mediated the positive associations between time affluence and well-being. Future research directions and implications for ethical business practices are discussed.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Knox College, Box K-83, Galesburg, IL, 61401, U.S.A.

    Tim Kasser

  2. University of Missouri-Columbia, Columbia, MO, U.S.A.

    Kennon M. Sheldon

Authors
  1. Tim Kasser
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  2. Kennon M. Sheldon
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Correspondence to Tim Kasser.

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Kasser, T., Sheldon, K.M. Time Affluence as a Path toward Personal Happiness and Ethical Business Practice: Empirical Evidence from Four Studies. J Bus Ethics 84 (Suppl 2), 243–255 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-008-9696-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-008-9696-1

Keywords

  • Subjective well-being
  • time
  • business ethics
  • wealth