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Accounting and happiness

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  • Lamberton, Geoffrey

Abstract

This paper begins with the observation that happiness is the primary goal of human endeavour. One critical element of human endeavour is business, leading to the proposition the primary objective of business is to contribute to happiness, with profit being a means towards this end. This central idea linking business and the pursuit of happiness is used to critique the capability of accounting to contribute to lofty objectives leading to the central question if the goal of business should be the pursuit of human happiness, can accounting contribute to this goal?

Suggested Citation

  • Lamberton, Geoffrey, 2015. "Accounting and happiness," CRITICAL PERSPECTIVES ON ACCOUNTING, Elsevier, vol. 29(C), pages 16-30.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:crpeac:v:29:y:2015:i:c:p:16-30
    DOI: 10.1016/j.cpa.2014.10.005
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    1. Sonia Castellanos-Redondo & Domingo Nevado-Peña & Benito Yañez-Araque, 2020. "Ethics and Happiness at Work in the Spanish Financial Sector," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(21), pages 1-10, November.
    2. Durocher, Sylvain & Bujaki, Merridee & Brouard, François, 2016. "Attracting Millennials: Legitimacy management and bottom-up socialization processes within accounting firms," CRITICAL PERSPECTIVES ON ACCOUNTING, Elsevier, vol. 39(C), pages 1-24.

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    Keywords

    Buddhism; Social; Happiness; Critical;
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