A Philosophy of Happiness: The role it can play in designing an adaptive organisation

Abstract

This study focuses on the philosophy of happiness and its potential and implications for organisational change. Leveraging the well-known French philosopher Paul Ricoeur's principles of happiness offered an opportunity to shape the culture of an organisation so that it had a change map to follow from rigidity to adaptiveness. The aim of this study was to provide an alternative to the popular change management theories that focus mainly on structural change, or regard organisational need to change as an occasional occurrence that needed an intervention project - something with a beginning and an end. The journey to organisational adaptiveness was premised on Anné Verhoef's happiness types, which would provide a secure foothold for the application of Ricoeur's principles of happiness to explore the complex terrain of an organisation as a social system reinventing itself. With the above as a focus, the study provides a foundation for an organisation to become a sustainable and resilient entity by transformation to a dynamic and responsive social system. This would be possible if the leaders and then ultimately the members of the organisation were to embrace Ricoeur's principles of happiness, for example, self-reflection, acceptance of human fallibility, respect and acknowledging life's complexities. It would be possible to do this through the adoption of Verhoef's happiness type, an ethical way of living. Which, I argue, is the cornerstone of a modern adaptive organisation because it encourages mutual respect, and in turn fosters collaboration, self-awareness and decision making which considers the interest of others and not simply those of the decision maker. Organisational adaptiveness requires flexibility, often referred to as agility, and best practice in organisational management equates agility with ability as a key competence. The type of agility we refer to is not confined to the ability to make quick decisions. It is the speed at which mistakes are admitted and corrections made, coupled with quickness to share ideas, recognise the humanness in self and others, encourage others to learn and respond to opportunities. This study therefore takes full advantage of Ricoeur's happiness principles as developed by Verhoef as it attempts to offer concrete design principles for an adaptive organisation. One in which happiness as a by-product has the potential to be shared by every member of the organisation.