Special Section 2027/01: Happiness Management, Corporate Social Responsibility, and Social Marketing: Are They Present in the Strategic Management of Business Models in the Era of the Great Resignation?

2026-01-19

Special Section:

Happiness Management, Corporate Social Responsibility, and Social Marketing: Are They Present in the Strategic Management of Business Models in the Era of the Great Resignation?

Guest Editors:

Rafael Ravina-Ripoll, University of Cádiz (Spain)

Esthela Galván-Vela, CETYS University (Mexico)

Mario Alberto Salazar-Altamirano, AutonomousUniversity of Tamaulipas (Mexico)

The global economy is undergoing a profound transformation, driven by a socio-economic and geopolitical tsunami that has redefined labour relations (Magnani et al., 2024). The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic abruptly disrupted the psychological contract between individuals and organisations, triggering an unprecedented crisis in human talent management (Lee, 2021). In this context, the so-called Great Resignation has exposed the fragility of traditional organisational models, many of which have been characterised by toxic corporate cultures that have prevailed since the Great Recession (Hetrick, 2023). Factors such as job insecurity, emotional exhaustion, high employee turnover, and burnout syndrome have led to a massive exodus of workers across various sectors (Gabriel & Aguinis, 2021).

Given this scenario, it is imperative to rethink business management models with a focus on well-being, inclusion, and sustainability. The integration of stakeholders in the construction of a more human and resilient organisational culture has become a critical factor for business success (Salvadorinho et al., 2024). In this regard, strategic management must focus on transforming human capital into a driving force for innovation, intrapreneurship, and sustainable productivity (Tian & Zhang, 2023). Companies that foster corporate social responsibility, collaboration, and talent retention will be better positioned to navigate the challenges of this era of disruption (Guerrero & Siegel, 2024).

To counteract the talent exodus characterising the Great Resignation, businesses must adopt empathetic leadership models and organisational strategies that prioritise employee well-being. Cultivating a work environment based on happiness, motivation, and empathy presents itself as a viable solution to strengthen retention and organisational commitment (Aubouin-Bonnaventure et al., 2023). In this sense, Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and the philosophy of Happiness Management emerge as fundamental approaches to designing more flexible, inclusive, healthy, and equitable companies (Ravina-Ripoll et al., 2022).

Happiness Management proposes that employees' holistic happiness should be the central component of job performance and organisational decision-making (Ravina-Ripoll et al., 2024). This is even more relevant in a context where talent retention remains a persistent challenge, and happiness is seen as a strategic resource to reduce voluntary job departures.

The Great Resignation has highlighted the need for leadership that values employees as an investment rather than a mere operational cost (Salvadorinho et al., 2024). In this sense, organisational culture must be based on principles of ethics, corporate well-being, and social responsibility, creating an ecosystem where workers not only feel valued but are also inspired to contribute to business development (Cuesta-Valiño et al., 2024). The literature has shown that a happy employee is not only more productive and innovative but also exhibits greater commitment and loyalty to the organisation (Fisher, 2010).

From this perspective, this Special Issue seeks to bring together academic research that explores the importance of integrating Happiness Management, CSR, and Social Marketing into companies' strategic management. The Great Resignation has made it clear that organisational happiness, social marketing, and corporate justice play a crucial role in constructing sustainable and resilient management models. It remains an open question whether organisations implementing these strategies are better prepared to face current market challenges and mitigate the adverse effects of the Great Resignation (Soren & Ryff, 2023).

This Special Issue aims to be an academic forum to explore new corporate governance models based on social responsibility and Happiness Management, highlighting their potential to generate more human and sustainable organisations. The studies collected here are expected to have significant theoretical and practical implications for developing human resource strategies that foster talent retention through key concepts such as emotional salary, business ethics, social marketing, and corporate happiness.

Thus, this Special Issue is particularly relevant to researchers analysingorganisational cultures, strategic management, and human talent policies from the perspectives of corporate social responsibility, social marketing, and Happiness Management. At a time when the Great Resignation continues to affect the future of businesses, these three dimensions represent not only a response to the crisis but also an opportunity to build more competitive and sustainable organisations.

Finally, we pose a key question for academic reflection: Are organisations that implement CSR, Social Marketing, and Happiness Management strategies less vulnerable to the effects of the Great Resignation? This issue has yet to be deeply explored in the scientific literature and could yield valuable insights for both academia and business management.

Topics:

The topics discussed in this Special Issue include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Conceptualisation of Happiness Management in the era of the Great Resignation: theoretical evolution, practical applications, and its impact on business sustainability.
  • Social Marketing and Happiness Management: the role of social impact marketing strategies in organisational well-being.
  • Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and healthy organisations: how CSR contributes to building sustainable and happy workplaces.
  • Happiness Management and corporate governance: leadership models that promote well-being and talent retention.
  • Human resources policy and talent retention in the Great Resignation: innovative strategies for attracting and maintaining employee commitment.
  • Corporate well-being and sustainable productivity: the impact of happiness on organisational performance and business competitiveness.
  • Workplace flexibility and remote work: opportunities and challenges in balancing personal and professional life in the post-pandemic era.
  • Positive and humanistic leadership: its influence on organisational culture, employee motivation, and a sense of belonging.
  • Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) management and its relationship with organisational happiness: strategies for building more equitable and sustainable businesses.
  • Artificial Intelligence and organisational happiness: the impact of AI on talent management, personalisation of workplace well-being, and strategic decision-making in companies.

Keywords:

Happiness Management, Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), Great Resignation, Social Marketing

Languages:

Manuscripts may be submitted in English or Spanish.

References:

Aubouin-Bonnaventure, J., Chevalier, S., Lahiani, F., & Fouquereau, E. (2023). Preventing workers’ need for recovery and turnover intentions: The protective effect of virtuous organizational practices through work ability. Journal of Workplace Behavioral Health, 39(3), 347–369. https://doi.org/10.1080/15555240.2023.2258555

Cuesta-Valiño, P., Gutiérrez-Rodríguez, P., & Ripoll, R. R. (2024). Guest editorial: Happiness and corporate social responsibility: the role of organizational culture and consumers in a sustainable economy. Management Decision, 62(2), 373–380. https://doi.org/10.1108/md-02-2024-216

Espasandín-Bustelo, F., Ganaza-Vargas, J., & Diaz-Carrion, R. (2020). Employee happiness and corporate social responsibility: the role of organizational culture. Employee Relations, 43(3), 609–629. https://doi.org/10.1108/er-07-2020-0343

Fisher, C. D. (2010). Happiness at work. International Journal of Management Reviews, 12(4), 384–412. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-2370.2009.00270.x

Gabriel, K. P., &Aguinis, H. (2021). How to prevent and combat employee burnout and create healthier workplaces during crises and beyond. Business Horizons, 65(2), 183–192. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bushor.2021.02.037

Guerrero, M., & Siegel, D. S. (2024). Schumpeter meets Teece: Proposed metrics for assessing entrepreneurial innovation and dynamic capabilities in entrepreneurial ecosystems in an emerging economy. Research Policy, 53(5), 104984. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.respol.2024.104984

Hetrick, S. (2023). Toxic organizational cultures and leadership. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003330387

Lee, H. (2021). Changes in workplace practices during the COVID-19 pandemic: the roles of emotion, psychological safety and organisation support. Journal of Organizational Effectiveness People and Performance, 8(1), 97–128. https://doi.org/10.1108/joepp-06-2020-0104

Magnani, G., Sanguineti, F., Cavusgil, S. T., Raskovic, M. M., & Jean, R. “. (2024). Developing resilience: Multinational enterprise business model transformation to mitigate major disruptions. Journal of Business Research, 175, 114549. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2024.114549

Ravina-Ripoll, R., Díaz-García, G. A., Ahumada-Tello, E., & Galván-Vela, E. (2024). Emotional wage, happiness at work and organisational justice as triggers for happiness management. Journal of Management Development, 43(2), 236–252. https://doi.org/10.1108/jmd-02-2023-0046

Ravina-Ripoll, R., Galvan-Vela, E., Sorzano-Rodríguez, D. M., & Ruíz-Corrales, M. (2022). Mapping intrapreneurship through the dimensions of happiness at work and internal communication. Corporate Communications an International Journal, 28(2), 230–248. https://doi.org/10.1108/ccij-03-2022-0037

Ravina-Ripoll, R., Rodríguez, M. J. F., & Sánchez, J. a. L. (2021). Certification Happiness Management: an integral instrument for human resources management in post-COVID-19 era. International Journal of Business Environment, 12(3), 287. https://doi.org/10.1504/ijbe.2021.116606

Salvadorinho, J., Ferreira, C., & Teixeira, L. (2024). A technology-based framework to foster the lean human resource 4.0 and prevent the great resignation: The talent management lift. Technology in Society, 77, 102510. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.techsoc.2024.102510

Soren, A., & Ryff, C. D. (2023). Meaningful Work, Well-Being, and Health: Enacting a eudaimonic vision. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 20(16), 6570. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20166570

Tian, G., & Zhang, Z. (2023). Exploring the impact of natural Resource utilization on human capital development: A sustainable development perspective. ResourcesPolicy, 87, 104207. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resourpol.2023.104207

Proposed Timeline:

  • Manuscript submission deadline: Until 30 September 2026.
  • Expected publication date: January 2027.