This edited volume makes a contribution to the literature on happiness research by compiling
studies based on cross-national research and from diverse academic disciplines. The book is
distinctive in that it contains both theoretical and empirical analyses investigating
relationship between causes of happiness and economic behavior relating to employment
consumption and saving. Most notably it is one of the first studies in this subject area that
analyzes micro data collected in Europe US and Japan with information on respondents¿
attributes and their economic behavior as well as in measuring inter-temporal happiness by
principal factor analysis. Research findings in this volume shed new light on public policies
for a number of areas such as employment family social welfare urban and regional planning
and culture. The book draws on a collaborative research project between five institutions of
higher education in France UK Germany Switzerland Belgium and Japan that lasted for two
years.
