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The Good Life Versus the “Goods Life”: An Investigation of Goal Contents Theory and Employee Subjective Well-Being Across Asian Countries

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Abstract

Asian economies have experienced extraordinary growth in recent decades, and yet individual employee happiness and satisfaction has remained relatively stagnant. This can be explained in part by a related shift toward materialist goal aspirations. Goal Contents Theory (GCT) suggests that not all goals are created equal: intrinsic goal orientations are more strongly related to subjective well-being, for example. Using one of the most comprehensive surveys of Asia ever conducted, the current study examines the central tenets of GCT in several ways. Results show intrinsic (i.e., health, safety and security, affiliation, community feeling, self-acceptance and growth) relative to extrinsic goal orientation (i.e., money and materialism) is more strongly related to higher levels of satisfaction with one’s income, job, life, and accomplishments. Additionally, results of linear and nonlinear modeling display the diminishing marginal utility of income (the most widely utilized extrinsic incentive) on satisfaction. This curvilinear effect is exacerbated by extrinsic orientation. Finally, Multilevel Item Response Theory (MIRT) analysis confirmed a hierarchical ordering of intrinsic need strength and displayed the positive effect of national human development (i.e., Human Development Index) on individual intrinsic goal orientation. Results demonstrate the importance of organizational and national policies that emphasize human as well as economic development.

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  1. School of Management, University of San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA

    Matthew J. Monnot

  2. Psychology Department, Central Michigan University, Mount Pleasant, MI, USA

    Terry A. Beehr

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Monnot, M.J., Beehr, T.A. The Good Life Versus the “Goods Life”: An Investigation of Goal Contents Theory and Employee Subjective Well-Being Across Asian Countries. J Happiness Stud 23, 1215–1244 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10902-021-00447-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10902-021-00447-5

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