Presentation to accompany the talk given by Nic Marks from the New Economics Foundation at an Action for Happiness event on 19 January 2012 in London. www.neweconomics.org www.actionforhappiness.org

1. Practical ideas for a
Happier World
Creating a world we all want …
Nic Marks
Founder of centre for well-being
nef (the new economics foundation)

2. www.ted.com

3. Environment
Well-being
“I have a dream …”

4. “Even though
Environment
we face
difficulties of
today and
tomorrow …”
Well-being
“I have a dream …”

5. The State of the Nation

6. “difficulties of today ”
Environment
Well-being

7. “difficulties of today ”
Environment
Well-being

8. Anger:

9. Anger:

10. Anger:

11. Anger:

12. “difficulties of today ”
Environment
Well-being

13. “difficulties of tomorrow ”
Environment
Well-being
1979 2003

14. Is this our future?
Environment
Well-being

15. Or could this be our future?
Environment
Well-being

16. Which way?
Environment
Well-being

17. BUT … not that simple!
Environment
Well-being
Wicked problems are systematic not
mechanistic. Rittel, Horst and Webber (1973)

18. Environment
Well-being
Foresight report on Obesity (2007)

19. Think before you think …
Environment
Stafford Beer
(1926 – 2002)
• Systems Thinker Well-being
• Designing Freedom
• Brain of the Firm
• Platforms for Change

20. Issues of Primary Importance …
Environment
Manfred Max Neef
The Barefoot Economist (1932 - )
• From the Outside Looking in
• Human Scale Development
• Real Life Economics
• Economics Well-being (2011)
Unmasked

21. The New Economics Foundation (nef)
• An independent UK think-
and-do-tank.
• Inspired by 3 principles…
– Sustainable development
– Social justice
– People’s well-being
• …and a belief that the right
metrics are fundamental to
driving change

22. nef’s Great Transition Initiative
Towards a new economy based on:
• Widespread Well-being
• Sustainability (Climate, Energy)
• Fair distribution of Wealth
To do so we need:
• Appropriate (new) economic theory
• Policy tools
• A MODEL

23. The core sector
Y min (Desired output, full capacity GDP)
1
Y C I G Y AK L
Y = min (aggr. demand, output + inventory)

24. Labor force
ˆ
F (Work.Pop* F part.ratio- F)/adj.time
ˆ
L (L* L) /adj.time L* *
YSR / w

25. The New Economics Foundation (nef)
• An independent UK think-
and-do-tank.
• Inspired by 3 principles…
– Sustainable development
– Social justice
– People’s well-being
• …and a belief that the right
metrics are fundamental to
driving change

26. People
Environment
Economy
Well-being
Planet

27. People
Environment
Economy
Well-being
The Orthodox
Planet Economy

28. Labour
Environment
Growth
Well-being
The Orthodox
Materials Economy

29. Well-being
Environment
New
Economy
Well-being
Resources

30. Well-being
Environment
New
Economy
Well-being
Resources

31. Well-being
Environment
New
Economy
Well-being
Resources

32. Environment Well-being
New
Economy
Well-being
Resources

33. If GDP is a proxy for good lives now the trade off is
acute
70000
60000
50000
GDP per capita ($)
40000
30000
Latin America
Western world
20000 Middle East
Sub-Saharan Africa
South Asia
10000 East Asia
Transition States
World average
0
0.00 2.00 4.00 6.00 8.00 10.00 12.00
Ecological footprint (gha per capita)

34. If GDP is a proxy for good lives now the trade off is
acute
70000
60000
50000
GDP per capita ($)
40000
30000
Latin America
Western world
20000 Middle East
Sub-Saharan Africa
South Asia
10000 East Asia
Transition States
World average
0
0.00 2.00 4.00 6.00 8.00 10.00 12.00
Ecological footprint (gha per capita)

35. Well-being
Environment
New
Economy
Well-being
Resources

36. Well-being
Environment
New
Economy
Well-being
Resources

37. Well-being
Environment
Well-being
Resources

38. Well-being
Environment
Well-being
Resources

39. Well-being
Happy and Long Lives
Environment
Resource Use
Well-being
Resources

40. Well-being
Happy and Long Lives
Environment
(divided by)
Resource Use
Well-being
Resources

41. Well-being
Happy and Long Lives
Environment
(divided by)
Resource Use
Well-being
Resources

42. If GDP is a proxy for good lives now the trade off is
acute
70000
60000
50000
GDP per capita ($)
40000
30000
Latin America
Western world
20000 Middle East
Sub-Saharan Africa
South Asia
10000 East Asia
Transition States
World average
0
0.00 2.00 4.00 6.00 8.00 10.00 12.00
Ecological footprint (gha per capita)

43. But Happy Life Years are a better proxy – and the
trade off is less acute
80.0
70.0
60.0
50.0
Happy life years
40.0
30.0 Latin America
Western world
Middle East
20.0 Sub-Saharan Africa
South Asia
East Asia
10.0
Transition States
World average
0.0
0.00 2.00 4.00 6.00 8.00 10.00 12.00
Ecological footprint (gha per capita)

44. A Happy Planet?
Data from 2005-8
Happy life years
80.0
70.0
60.0
50.0
40.0
World Average
30.0 Latin America
Western World
Middle East
20.0 Sub-Saharan
Africa
South Asia
10.0
East Asia
Transition states
0.0
0.00 2.00 4.00 6.00 8.00 10.00 12.00
Ecological footprint (gha per capita)

45. A Happy Planet?
Data from 2005-8
Happy life years
80.0
70.0
60.0
50.0
40.0
World Average
30.0 Latin America
Western World
Middle East
20.0 Sub-Saharan
Africa
South Asia
10.0
East Asia
Transition states
0.0
0.00 2.00 4.00 6.00 8.00 10.00 12.00
Ecological footprint (gha per capita)

46. A Happy Planet?
Data from 2005-8
Happy life years
80.0
70.0
60.0
50.0
40.0
World Average
30.0 Latin America
Western World
Middle East
20.0 Sub-Saharan
Africa
South Asia
10.0
East Asia
Transition states
0.0
0.00 2.00 4.00 6.00 8.00 10.00 12.00
Ecological footprint (gha per capita)

47. BUT Environment a
… that’s BIG ASK!
Is it all hopeless?
What can little me do?
Well-being
Can we together make a difference?

48. Environment
happiness
Well-being
What’s
got to do with it?

49. We are emotional beings

50. The Role of Emotions
Emotion Typical Situation Probable Action Promoted
Fear
Anger
Sadness
Disgust

51. The Role of Emotions
Emotion Typical Situation Probable Action Promoted
Fear Source of danger
Anger Violation of a norm
Sadness Loss of support
Disgust Contamination

52. The Role of Emotions
Emotion Typical Situation Probable Action Promoted
Fear Source of danger Detect and Flee
Deter future violation (violently or
Anger Violation of a norm
non-violently)
Save energy and thread carefully until
Sadness Loss of support
conditions improve
Disgust Contamination Spit out and avoid

53. The Role of Emotions
Emotion Typical Situation Probable Action Promoted
Fear Source of danger Detect and Flee
Deter future violation (violently or
Anger Violation of a norm
non-violently)
Save energy and thread carefully until
Sadness Loss of support
conditions improve
Disgust Contamination Spit out and avoid
Positive Emotions?

54. Barbara Friedrickson’s
theory of the evolutionary
role of positive emotions
1. Positive emotions BROADEN our thoughts
& actions: paying more attention, being more creative
& playful, open to relationships, and flexible.
2. Positive emotions BUILD psychological
resources: resilience, coping, physical abilities,
emotional intelligence, social skills and self mastery.

55. In other words:
Happiness matters!
Happiness is more about
opportunities than threats …
Happiness can help us build
better futures

56. Happiness is good …
but what about
… Drawing? ??

57. Connect...
Be active...
Take notice...
Keep learning...
Give...

58. nef‟s brief from Foresight
 What would be the well-being equivalent of “five
fruit and veg a day?”

59. Five ways to wellbeing
Evidence-based
actions that are
memorable, easy to
understand and have
a wide variety of
possible applications

60. GREAT DREAM: Ten Keys to Happier Living
The most important causes of happiness, based on a review of the latest scientific research*:
* The first five keys are based on the Five Ways to Wellbeing developed by nef as part of the UK Foresight Project on Mental Capital.

61. Do-It-Yourself Happiness -
a ‘Well London’ project

62. Liverpool Year of Health and
Well-being

63. Mind Leeds

64. Mental Health Foundation of New Zealand

65. Stockport schools
Is it hard

68. Local Govt activity enabling the Five Ways
Work,
Housing and
Children’s Adult social Planning and Environmental worklessness
community
services care transport services and the local
services
economy
Connect
Local area co- An area-based growing
Inter-generational Designing in traffic- The Big Lunch (eg St A local procurement
ordination (eg competition (eg
activities (eg Merton free spaces (eg Sutton Albans City and policy (eg Camden
Middlesborough Rushmoor Borough
Council) Council) District Council) Council)
Council) Council)
Sports support
active
Enabling council Green space
buddies for disabled Healthy walks City centre cycle paths Green Gym (eg Bath and
Be
tenants to grow their apprenticeships (eg
young people (eg scheme (eg Adur (eg Herefordshire North East Somerset
own food (eg Tamworth Borough
Nottingham City District Council) Council) Council)
Southwark Council) Council)
Council)
Public art project Helping local people
notice
Arts festival for Auditing green space Gardening support for Resident involvement in
Take
devised in understand the local
social inclusion (eg provision (eg South vulnerable residents wildlife protection (eg
collaboration with economy (eg South
Lambeth Council’s Gloucestershire (eg Hampshire County Fareham Borough
young people (eg Somerset District
Springforward,) Council) Council) Council)
Bristol City Council) Council)
Adult learning on
learning
An online directory Providing training as
prescription (eg Identifying sites for
Keep
of informal learning part of resident Community planting day Local entrepreneurship
Northamptonshire self-builders (eg
activities for young involvement (eg South events (eg Banbury Town coaching (eg Norwich
County Council and Swindon Borough
people, (eg Essex Kesteven District Council) City Council)
partners’ Learn 2b Council)
County Council) Council)
scheme)
Peer support awards Timebanking to Using peer-support
Supporting volunteer- Encouraging volunteers
for young people (eg encourage skills models to enable Local business support
Give
swapping and led walking bus independent living and to „adopt‟ their local area
Bradford networks (eg Malvern
schemes (eg Thurrock residential support (eg (eg Manchester City
Metropolitan District reciprocal Hills District Council)
volunteering (eg Council) Lincolnshire County Council)
Council)
Bromley Council) Council)

69. Five Ways to Wellbeing:
new applications, new ways
of thinking
available from
www.neweconomics.org

70. National well-being – what is it
and how do you measure it?

71. Environment
15th November
2010
Well-being

72. Happiness & well-being
as the goal of public policy?
“We have to
recognise officially,
that economic
growth is a means
to an end”
UK Prime Minister David Cameron November 2010

74. New research released today, on the most miserable day of the year*, shows the government’s strategy
of measuring and explicitly promoting happiness over other objectives is counter-productive and a
waste of money.
The report, “…and the Pursuit of Happiness: Wellbeing and the Role of Government”, examines the
flaws in attempts to measure happiness. It suggests that:
•The government should not be trying to measure or maximise happiness as an explicit policy goal.
•There is no evidence that more equal societies lead to increases in happiness.
•Contrary to widespread belief, the evidence suggests that happiness is in fact related to income and
economic growth. The so-called Easterlin paradox (the idea that wellbeing does not increase with
income) is shown to be fake.
•Attempts to promote “wellbeing at work” through regulation are likely to be counter-productive in so
far as increases in employment regulation increase unemployment. There is a strong link between
unemployment and loss of wellbeing. In general, more intrusive and bigger government leads to a loss
in wellbeing. One study finds that increasing government spending by one third would cause a
reduction in happiness of 5%-6%.
•Smaller government tends to make people happier. Public spending cuts could actually be the key to
making Britain a happier place.

75. What about Governments?
Broadly there are three areas they impact :
• The Economy
• Public Services
• Local Areas
… and here are seven strategies they
could think about …

76. Create good work ...
Reform the banking system ...
Develop flourishing schools ...
Promote complete health ...
Engage with citizens ...
Build good foundations …
and … Measure what matters ...

77. I’m afraid
download only!

78. Create good work ...
Reform the banking system ...
Develop flourishing schools ...
Promote complete health ...
Engage with citizens ...
Build good foundations …
and … Measure what matters ...

79. happiness@work

80. Delivering Happiness at work
• Founded by Tony Hsieh, author
best selling book – Delivering
Happiness & CEO of Zappos
• Zappos is a Billion $ internet
business and in the top 10 best
places to work in the US
• Happiness is their business
model!

81. 50%
% of UK workers that have ever done a staff survey
Source: nef‟s representative sample of UK working population October 2011

82. 80%
% who thought it made no impact on the quality of their working lives
Source: nef‟s representative sample of UK working population October 2011

83. the value of well-being
Company Value
1950s 2000s
HUMAN
Intangibles Intangibles
CAPITAL is
„rented‟ not
owned.
High performance
needs to be
„coaxed‟ not
coerced.
Tangibles Tangibles
Robert Grossman “Blind Investment”, HR
Companies share valuations magazine, Jan 2005
new economics into action

84. Feedback Loops - production
Board Future
Sales
Marketing,
Management
Res & Dev
Prod1
Customers
Prod2

85. Feedback Loops - production
Board Future
Sales
Marketing,
Management
Res & Dev
Prod1
Customers
Prod2

86. Feedback Loops – intangible
Board Future
Sales
Marketing,
Management
Res & Dev
Prod1
Customers
Prod2

87. Feedback Loops – intangible
Board Future
Staff
Marketing,
Management
Res & Dev
Prod1
Potential
Investors
Prod2

90. happiness@work
Launching very soon !
Will be free to us (for up to 5 users)
Masterclasses available
On Site Leadership Programmes
Consultancy Offerings
All profits from nef consulting go back to nef

91. We do face difficulties …
2003

92. Health Warning
Being HAPPY can be seriously good for
your life, your health and your community.

93. Action for Happiness presents…
IDEAS FOR
A HAPPIER
WORLD
Nic Marks