Subjective Well-being Under the Scope of Public Policies

A special issue of Societies (ISSN 2075-4698).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 March 2019) | Viewed by 16855

Special Issue Editor

Department Applied Economics, University of Granada, 18010 Granada, Spain
Interests: public policies and welfare; subjective wellbeing; composite indicators of social welfare; European Union cohesion policy; system responsiveness; economics of inequality; income inequality; public spending policies; deprivation and poverty
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Findings indicate that improvements in subjective well-being (life satisfaction or self-reported quality of life) have positive effects for both individuals and society over a wide range of aspects. In recent years, an increasing body of research from the social sciences has focused on the study of subjective well-being, since increasing people's subjective well-being is considered as the ultimate objective and an end in itself. However, the real influence of these investigations to inform public policies is not yet perceived.

For this purpose, Societies invites manuscripts of original research that analyse the determinants of subjective well-being and the relationships between subjective well-being and a large number of areas with a specific focus on public policy issues. More specifically, we invite authors to discuss the implications of their research for the design and monitoring of public policies. For instance, it might be analysed the relationships between well-being and the next areas: health, disability, income inequalities and other socio-economic inequalities, material and personal safety, economic resources, job, social comparisons, freedom, social relationships, family circumstances, housing, leisure, etcetera. We welcome submissions involving the application of econometric and spatial modelling techniques. Cross-section studies, longitudinal (panel data) as well as studies of changes over time referred to any geographical location will be considered.

Dr. Ángeles Sánchez
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as conceptual papers are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a double-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Societies is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Published Papers (3 papers)

Order results
Result details
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

25 pages, 1066 KiB  
Article
Inequality and Life Satisfaction in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: The Role of Opportunity
by Teresa Maria García-Muñoz, Juliette Milgram-Baleix and Omar Odeh-Odeh
Societies 2019, 9(2), 37; https://doi.org/10.3390/soc9020037 - 15 May 2019
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 5615
Abstract
This study delves into the relationship between income inequality and subjective well-being by gauging the role played by opportunities at the country level. Using data from the World Value Survey, we estimate multilevel models to explain cross-country differences in individuals’ life satisfaction. Opportunity [...] Read more.
This study delves into the relationship between income inequality and subjective well-being by gauging the role played by opportunities at the country level. Using data from the World Value Survey, we estimate multilevel models to explain cross-country differences in individuals’ life satisfaction. Opportunity and inequality exert a significant effect per se on life satisfaction, and their joint effect explains the puzzling positive relationship between income inequality and life satisfaction in low- and middle-income countries. Income inequalities reduce the well-being of individuals if opportunities are low, but inequality is not relevant for life satisfaction if opportunities in the country are high. Among the aspects of opportunity that really matter, we show that inclusiveness and access to advanced education play a more major role than political freedom or personal rights. Results apply for different social, income, and education groups. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Subjective Well-being Under the Scope of Public Policies)
Show Figures

Figure 1

17 pages, 311 KiB  
Article
Financial, Job and Health Satisfaction: A Comparative Approach on Working People
by María Navarro
Societies 2019, 9(2), 34; https://doi.org/10.3390/soc9020034 - 30 Apr 2019
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2908
Abstract
The determinants of domain satisfactions could be differently evaluated depending on the aspect of life considered, which would lead to different implications for public policies. To test this hypothesis, using the German Socio−Economic Panel (GSOEP), we analyse the effect of different economic and [...] Read more.
The determinants of domain satisfactions could be differently evaluated depending on the aspect of life considered, which would lead to different implications for public policies. To test this hypothesis, using the German Socio−Economic Panel (GSOEP), we analyse the effect of different economic and non−economic factors on satisfaction with financial situation, job and health status. The main results confirm that several determinants exert different effects depending on the aspect of life that people are evaluating. For instance, household income only improves satisfaction with financial situation but it does not explain job or health satisfaction. However, those people with an active social life, who are less worried and distrustful, are more satisfied regardless of the aspect of life considered. These findings reflect the importance of studying the main determinants of the domain satisfactions using a comparative perspective to design and evaluate specific public policies, since some measures could be effective for improving satisfaction in one area of an individual’s life but not for others. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Subjective Well-being Under the Scope of Public Policies)
22 pages, 347 KiB  
Article
Bullying and Work-Related Stress in the Irish Workplace
by John Cullinan, Margaret Hodgins, Victoria Hogan, Michael McDermott and Sharon Walsh
Societies 2019, 9(1), 15; https://doi.org/10.3390/soc9010015 - 13 Feb 2019
Cited by 12 | Viewed by 7754
Abstract
Work-related stress is increasing in prevalence, with important consequences for employees, employers, the economy, and wider society. While previous research has identified a link between work-related stress and bullying, gaps remain in our understanding of the nature of the relationship. This article uses [...] Read more.
Work-related stress is increasing in prevalence, with important consequences for employees, employers, the economy, and wider society. While previous research has identified a link between work-related stress and bullying, gaps remain in our understanding of the nature of the relationship. This article uses ordered logistic regression and nationally representative data on 5110 employees from Ireland to empirically analyse the distribution of subjective work-related stress and its relationship with bullying (self-reported). We also consider the role and importance of gender and the presence of a formal policy on respect and dignity at work, as well as the degree to which relationships between management and staff and between staff themselves are related to work-related stress. Amongst the main findings are that employees who reported that they were bullied were considerably more likely to report that they were often or always stressed, while bad and very bad relationships between management and staff were also significantly associated with greater stress, particularly for female employees. Overall, our findings have a range of implications for employees, employers, and policymakers. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Subjective Well-being Under the Scope of Public Policies)
Back to TopTop