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A Normative Meaning of Meaningful Work

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  • Christopher Michaelson

    (University of St. Thomas)

Abstract

Research on meaningful work has not embraced a shared definition of what it is, in part because many researchers and laypersons agree that it means different things to different people. However, subjective and social accounts of meaningful work have limited practical value to help people pursue it and to help scholars study it. The account of meaningful work advanced in this paper is inherently normative. It recognizes the relevance of subjective experience and social agreement to appraisals of meaningfulness but considers them conceptually incomplete and practically limited. According to this normative account, meaningful work should be meaningful to oneself and to others and is also meaningful independent of them. It sets forth grounds for evaluating some work to be more meaningful than other work, asserting the possibility that one could be mistaken about the meaningfulness of one’s work. While it thus proscribes some claims to meaningful work, it also opens up potential new avenues of inquiry into, among other things, self-aggrandizing and harmful work that is experienced as meaningful, morally valuable work that is not experienced as meaningful, and the distinction between experienced and normative meaningfulness.

Suggested Citation

  • Christopher Michaelson, 2021. "A Normative Meaning of Meaningful Work," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 170(3), pages 413-428, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:jbuset:v:170:y:2021:i:3:d:10.1007_s10551-019-04389-0
    DOI: 10.1007/s10551-019-04389-0
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    7. Christopher Michaelson & Michael Pratt & Adam Grant & Craig Dunn, 2014. "Meaningful Work: Connecting Business Ethics and Organization Studies," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 121(1), pages 77-90, April.
    8. Kelly Pledger Weeks & Caitlin Schaffert, 2019. "Generational Differences in Definitions of Meaningful Work: A Mixed Methods Study," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 156(4), pages 1045-1061, June.
    9. Robert H. Frank, 2016. "Success and Luck: Good Fortune and the Myth of Meritocracy," Economics Books, Princeton University Press, edition 1, number 10663.
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    Cited by:

    1. Samuel A. Mortimer, 2023. "What Makes Work Meaningful?," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 185(4), pages 835-845, July.
    2. Anica Zeyen & Oana Branzei, 2023. "Disabled at Work: Body-Centric Cycles of Meaning-Making," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 185(4), pages 767-810, July.
    3. Nicolas BUENO, 2021. "Freedom at, through and from work: Rethinking labour rights," International Labour Review, International Labour Organization, vol. 160(2), pages 311-329, June.
    4. Tuure Haarjärvi & Sari Laari-Salmela, 2022. "Examining the Role of Dignity in the Experience of Meaningfulness: a Process-Relational View on Meaningful Work," Humanistic Management Journal, Springer, vol. 7(3), pages 417-440, December.
    5. Frank Martela, 2023. "The Normative Value of Making a Positive Contribution–Benefiting Others as a Core Dimension of Meaningful Work," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 185(4), pages 811-823, July.
    6. Michael S. Aßländer, 2022. "Broken Promises – The Probable Futurity of the Laboring Class (Re-Assessed)," Humanistic Management Journal, Springer, vol. 7(2), pages 259-275, October.
    7. Enrico Fontana & Sanne Frandsen & Mette Morsing, 2023. "Saving the World? How CSR Practitioners Live Their Calling by Constructing Different Types of Purpose in Three Occupational Stages," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 185(4), pages 741-766, July.
    8. Evgenia I. Lysova & Jennifer Tosti-Kharas & Christopher Michaelson & Luke Fletcher & Catherine Bailey & Peter McGhee, 2023. "Ethics and the Future of Meaningful Work: Introduction to the Special Issue," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 185(4), pages 713-723, July.
    9. Santiago Mejia, 2023. "The Normative and Cultural Dimension of Work: Technological Unemployment as a Cultural Threat to a Meaningful Life," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 185(4), pages 847-864, July.
    10. Jens Jørund Tyssedal, 2023. "Work is Meaningful if There are Good Reasons to do it: A Revisionary Conceptual Analysis of ‘Meaningful Work’," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 185(3), pages 533-544, July.
    11. Mai Chi Vu & Roger Gill, 2023. "Are Leaders Responsible for Meaningful Work? Perspectives from Buddhist-Enacted Leaders and Buddhist Ethics," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 187(2), pages 347-370, October.
    12. Steffen Böhm & Michal Carrington & Nelarine Cornelius & Boudewijn Bruin & Michelle Greenwood & Louise Hassan & Tanusree Jain & Charlotte Karam & Arno Kourula & Laurence Romani & Suhaib Riaz & Deirdre , 2022. "Ethics at the Centre of Global and Local Challenges: Thoughts on the Future of Business Ethics," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 180(3), pages 835-861, October.

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