11443: Mindfulness-Based Holistic Education in Management: Foundations, Design, Evidence and Documentation (session 26456)

This paper addresses the growing need for management education to shift toward fostering sustainable well-being alongside high performance, in response to rising mental health concerns among students and the demands of modern, volatile work environments. Despite the growing demand for educational approaches integrating holistic personal development and the cultivation of socio-emotional skills, the widespread adoption of holistic education in business schools has been limited. This paper tackles four key challenges to the implementation of holistic management education: 1) Foundation: We introduce the Mindfulness-Based Holistic Education (MBHE) framework, a theory-driven approach that integrates mindfulness and positive psychology into business curricula. 2)

Design: We present a scalable, classroom-friendly design for the MBHE course that balances innovation with practical feasibility, addressing concerns about resource constraints in educational institutions. 3) Evidence: We provide empirical data from a quasi-experimental study, demonstrating the significant positive effects of MBHE on students’ well-being, including increased self-awareness, resilience, and reduced stress. 4) Documentation: To support replication and broader adoption, we offer detailed course documentation and resources, ensuring that other institutions can implement similar models with fidelity. This research contributes both to the theory and practice of management education by providing a comprehensive, evidence-based framework for integrating holistic, well-being-focused approaches into business school curricula.

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