Monday 18 June 2012

HAPPINESS INDEX AND SUBJECTIVE WELL-BEING

Subjective Well-being (SWB) can be assessed with a series of measures representing distinct concepts such as satisfaction with life, happiness, quality of life and life fulfillment. These concepts represent the affective (Diener and Emmons, 1984) and cognitive evaluation (Andrews and Withey 1976) of one’s life. SWB has been defined as the total sum of the cognitive and emotional reactions that people experience when they compare what they have and do in life with their aspirations, needs, and other expectations (Calman 1984). This definition is in line with the description given by Diener et al. (1999) that explains SWB as a broad category of phenomena that includes people’s emotional responses.
SWB is composed of several major components, including global life satisfaction, contentment with specific life domains, the presence of frequent positive affect (pleasant moods and emotions), and a relative absence of negative affect (unpleasant moods and emotions). The major components are reduced into more specific elements. Positive affect is commonly divided into joy, elation, contentment, pride, affection, happiness and ecstasy. Negative affect is separated into guilt and shame, sadness, anxiety and worry, anger, stress, depression, and envy. Life satisfaction is categorized by satisfaction with current life, satisfaction with past, satisfaction with future, significant others’ views of one’s life, and desire to change life. Domain satisfaction is composed of work, family, leisure, health, finances, self, and one’s group (Schwarz and Strack, 1991).
Why is SWB important? First, high SWB leads to benefits (Lyubomirsky et al., 2002), not the least of which include better health and perhaps even increased longevity (Danner et al., 2001). Second, people the world over think SWB is very important. In a survey of college students from 17 countries, (Diener,2000) found that happiness and life satisfaction were both rated well above neutral on importance (and more important than money) in every country, although there was also variation among cultures. Furthermore, respondents from all samples indicated that they thought about happiness from time to time. Thus, even those fromrelatively unhappy societies value happiness to some extent. Third, SWB represents a major way to assess quality of life in addition to economic and social indicators such as GNP and levels of health or crime (Diener and Suh, 1997). In fact, SWB captures aspects of nationalcon ditions that the other measures cannot. Thus, when used in
conjunction with the objective measures, SWB provides additionalinformat ion necessary to evaluate a society. Fourth, SWB is frequently assessed as a major outcome variable in research on the elderly (George, 1986), and on other target groups. SWB is an important indicator of quality of life and functioning in old age.

Futher enquiry about this article kindly contact :

DR. AZMIZAM ABDUL RASHID
Research and Development Division,
Federal Department of Town and Country Planning,
Ministry of Housing and Local Government,
Unit No. 50-12-2B, & 50-13-1, Wisma UOA Damansara,
No. 50, Jalan Dungun, Damansara Heights,
50490 Kuala Lumpur,
Malaysia
email address : azmizam@townplan.gov.my

Friday 8 June 2012

SUSTAINABLE CITIES : MAKING REGENERATION HAPPEN IN THE UNITED KINGDOM ORGANISED BY MIPIM 2011



Recent political upheavals have changed the game in UK regeneration. Economic difficulties have meant that funding is difficult to find, and that public money has to go a very long way. At times like these, innovation is key to progress. What can be achieved in the UK, and how? What must cities and towns do to make and how can investors and developers succeed?

Moderator
Jackie Sadek, Chair, UK Regeneration (UK)

Speakers
Sir Howard Bernstein, Chief Executive of Manchester City Council, Manchester City Council (UK)

Neil McLean, Chairman, Leeds City Region Local Enterprise Partnership, Leeds City Region (UK)

Wilfrid Petrie, Executive Vice President GDF Suez Energy Services in charge of BU Int North (France)

Mike Whitby, Leader of the Birmingham City Council, Birmingham City Council (UK)

Thursday 7 June 2012

HAPPINESS INDEX STUDY BY FEDERAL DEPARTMENT OF TOWN AND COUNTRY PLANNING IS HIGHLIGHTED IN NST 5 JUNE 2012 PAGE 26

HAPPY TO BE RICH......by Alizan Mahadi
HAS your life been 4.7 per cent better within the last three months? If the economic indicator in the form of gross domestic product (GDP) accurately reflects personal well-being, this statement would ring true as the figure quoted is Malaysia's GDP growth rate for the first quarter of this year.  owever, the notion of GDP as a yardstick for well-being is being challenged, with the recently published orld Happiness Report generating much excitement and debate in the field of measuring progress. GDP measures the total production of a country and is used by most countries to measure and compare economic growth and overall economic performance. Various quarters have questioned its adequacy in capturing higher order goals of nations such as well-being, and have suggested alternative or supplementary measures.Undeniably, the GDP has served us well and will continue to do so. Malaysia has transformed itself since the 1970s by averaging impressive growth rates. However, in what is termed the Easterlin Paradox, studies indicate that whilst societies tend to be happier with an increase in income to meet basic necessities, beyond a certain point, the relationship between happiness and income is only down to how your earnings compare with those around you.

As we chart our developmental journey from middle income towards a high-income country, is it the pursuit of high-economic growth or the pursuit of happiness on which we should focus our efforts?The United Nations commissioned a study on happiness, and the resultant World Happiness Report was recently published. The report was inspired by Bhutan, where gross national happiness (GNH) is measured instead of GDP.Based on surveys undertaken in 156 countries, Malaysia was placed 51st in the World Happiness rankings. Is 51st place a credible ranking? As we aspire to emulate bigger Asian economies such as South Korea and China, the ranking shows that we figure quite well, being placed higher than these countries, which are ranked 56th and 112th respectively along with being the second "happiest" country in Southeast Asia, only behind Singapore. On the other hand, being ranked 51st out of 156 countries is nothing to shout about.

However, a look at another survey provides "better" results for Malaysia. The World Values Study's Happiness Index, which was also quoted in the report, carried out a survey based on a simple question of whether "in general are you very happy, quite happy, not very happy or not happy at all?" Malaysia was ranked a respectable eighth above Norway (ninth) and below Singapore (seventh) out of 103 countries surveyed.The report explains that the variances are down to different methodologies, with the first methodology being more comprehensive. But this demonstrates the subjectivity prevalent in measuring happiness.So, should we take this seriously? While challenges persist, the quest for measuring what is most important to us should not be abandoned. The more important question is whether it is happiness that we value most.The context of this emerging "industry" of measuring happiness has to be understood. The "happynomics" movement is gaining prominence borne out of the recognition that we cannot continue to develop the way we have been.Environmental degradation has resulted in the erosion of our critical natural capital that is vital for sustaining life and preserving our well-being. Alternative means of increasing well-being must be pursued if we are to have any future at all.

The idea is simple: there is more to life than economic growth.The World Happiness Report takes its cue from Buddha and Aristotle, highlighting that the road to happiness is not through increasing material wealth, but towards a middle path between restraint on the one side and craving material goods on the other.In spite of our cultural diversity, the middle path is a shared value between Muslims, Buddhists, Christians and Hindus alike. The concept of wasatiyyah in Islam encourages pursuing moderation and balance and Malaysia has formed an Institute of Wasatiyyah along with championing the Global Movement of Moderates. There are also encouraging efforts within Malaysia for alternative methods of measuring progress. The Federal Department of Town and Country Planning is undertaking a study in happiness indicators within Malaysia and the Economic Planning Unit produces the Malaysian Quality of Life Index. Whether we focus on happiness or not, the most important thing is to continue and enhance efforts that can provide a real understanding of what we value most as Malaysians, and find metrics that can best measure what we ourselves define as progress. On top of that, we also have to ensure we choose a path that will provide sustained progress to preserve and enhance the ability of our current and future generations to pursue our path towards happiness.

Read more: Happy to be rich - Columnist - New Straits Times http://www.nst.com.my/opinion/columnist/happy-to-be-rich-1.91039#ixzz0waj39Wit

PEOPLE AROUND ME..FAMILY AND FRIENDS.

PEOPLE AROUND ME..FAMILY AND FRIENDS.
To my Wife, Zulaini, my sons Zulazlan, Zulazman, Zulazmir, Zulazmin dan my daughter, Nuris Zulazlin...I love you all..thank you being with me

CIRCLE OF FRIENDS... KUALA LUMPUR PROJECT OFFICE

CIRCLE OF FRIENDS... KUALA LUMPUR PROJECT OFFICE
Thank you guys...for your support and encouragement

2007 / 2008 METHODOLOGY AND QUALITATIVE RESEARCH COURSE FOR PHD CANDIDATES

2007 / 2008 METHODOLOGY AND QUALITATIVE RESEARCH COURSE FOR PHD CANDIDATES
My new friends during my course in INTAN 9 Jan -2 Mac 2007

KUALA LUMPUR PROJECT OFFICE, JOURNEY TO MOUNT OF KINABALU SABAH 21-22 JANUARY 2006

KUALA LUMPUR PROJECT OFFICE, JOURNEY TO MOUNT OF KINABALU SABAH 21-22 JANUARY 2006
WE CAME, WE SAW, WE CONQUERED 4095.2 METER ABOVE SEA LEVEL

How are you, guys? Where you are now?

FOOD CLOCK