Happiness and Health: The Management Philosophy of Lee Kum Kee Group

The Lee Kum Kee Group (LKK) case joins Dr. K. “Vish” Viswanath—Director of the Lee Kum Sheung Center for Health and Happiness at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health—as he explores the unique management philosophy of a Hong Kong-based company centered on the concept of Si Li Ji Ren—considering collective benefits before acting. Given his decades of research at the nexus of health and well-being, Dr. Viswanath developed a particular interest in the workplace as an important setting for promoting positive health. Since its founding in 1888, the family-owned global enterprise has attributed much of the company’s success to its commitment to the Si Li Ji Ren concept—a corollary to happiness—and associated values such as pragmatism, integrity, and constant entrepreneurship.

The case opens with background on the company and the evolution of its management philosophy as leadership explains how they apply the concepts in steering the company through business growth and economic downturns. The case delves into senior leadership’s interest in fostering and implementing health and happiness as a guiding force for business strategy, company culture, and competitive advantage; and it highlights specific examples of implementation across mission-driven initiatives, internal policies and programs, and external initiatives with vendors and clients. The case concludes with key questions Dr. Viswanath ultimately grapples with as he considers potential implications of applying the lessons learned from a family-owned enterprise, such as the Lee Kum Kee company, in a particular cultural context to other cultural contexts, organizational structures, and countries.