Passion for Work: Theory, Research, and Applications

Passion is a pervasive concept in the work domain. Workers aspire to be passionate in the hope of finding meaning and satisfaction from their professional life, while employers dream of passionate employees who will ensure organizational performance. Does passion for work matter ? Does passion invariably bring about the anticipated positive outcomes or is there a darker side to passion for work that can also lead to negative outcomes for individuals and organizations? The goal of this book is to address these issues. This volume reviews major theories of work passion, focusing specifically on the dominant theory: the Dualistic Model of Passion. This theory distinguishes between two types of passion-harmonious and obsessive- and their associated determinants and consequences. This volume provides a comprehensive understanding of passion for work by addressing the origin of the concept and its theoretical issues: how can passion for work be developed, what are the consequences to be expected at the individual and organizational levels, and how can passion for work shed new light on contemporary issues in the workplace. Passion for Work: Theory, Research, and Applications synthesizes a vast body of existing research in the area, provides insights into new and exciting research avenues, and explores how passion for work can be cultivated in work settings in order to fulfill both workers' and employers' hopes for a productive and satisfying work life.

About the Author

Robert J. Vallerand is Professor of Social Psychology and Director of the Laboratoire de Recherche sur le Comportement Social at the Université du Québec à Montréal where he holds a Canada Research Chair in Motivational Processes and Optimal Functioning. Professor Vallerand has published 8 books and around 350 scientific publications. He has served as President of the Quebec Society for Research in Psychology, the Canadian Psychological Association, and the International Positive Psychology Association. He is a Fellow of over a dozen associations including the American Psychological Association, the Association for Psychological Science, and the Society for Personality and Social Psychology. He has received the Donald O. Hebb Career Award from the Canadian Psychological Association, the William James Award from the APA for his book The Psychology of Passion , the Christopher Peterson Gold Medal Award from the International Positive Psychology Association, and the Sport Science Award from the International Olympic Committee. Nathalie Houlfort is Professor of Work and Organizational Psychology and Director of the Laboratoire de recherche sur le Comportement Organisationnel at the Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM). Professor Houlfort earned her Ph.D. in social psychology from McGill University, and her expertise lies in motivational processes at work. She has served as Head of the Work and Organizational Psychology Section of the Psychology Department at UQAM. Her research focuses on the role of passion in work-life balance. She has worked with many organizations as a consultant and is still consulting with leaders and workers to help building better workplaces where passion for work can be promoted thereby leading to more positive outcomes for all.