ABSTRACT
This chapter explores the social, political and cultural specificity of concepts such as, women, work, social norms and cultural traditions within Bhutan, which is unique in both its geography and national policy focus. Unlike its Southeast Asian counterparts where economic measures largely focus on gross domestic product (GDP) and wealth accumulation, Bhutan has come into the forefront of global attention with conception of its national focus on improving the happiness index of the nation whilst simultaneously building its economic importance within the region. The Gross National Happiness (GNH) considers non-economic goals as a core focus of human development. The findings of the focus groups interviews illustrate that Bhutanese professional working women were strongly driven by the motivations of income for living, contributing to family sustainability and societal development, and seeking for pleasure from work itself. The psychological construct is represented by work motivation wherein work activity is associated with the aim of meeting three basic needs: survival, pleasure and contribution.
