Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs Theory

CONTENTMotivation .Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs Organizational / Managerial

Applications .Criticisms .Conclusion .

What is Motivation ? “Motivation refers to the states within a person or animal that drives behavior toward some goals”. - MORGAN AND KING

“Motivation means the classes of operations used to produce and measure changes in performance and changes in energy output ”. - UNDERWOOD 

Motivation refers to the individual, internal process that directs, energises and sustains a person’s behavior .

Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs Theory

Maslow proposed that motivation is the result of a person's attempt at fulfilling five basic needs: Physiological Safety Social Esteem self-actualization

PHYSIOLOGICAL NEEDS

SAFETY NEEDS

SOCIAL NEEDS

ESTEEM NEEDS

SELF-ACTUALIZATI

ON

Organizational / Managerial ApplicationsRecognize employee’s accomplishments .

Provide financial security.

Provide opportunities to socialize .

Promote a healthy work force .

Criticisms There is no scientific evidence to prove the Maslow’s theory. There is lack of direct cause and effect relationship between

need and behavior. People can also operate on more than one needs level

simultaneously or may move to a lower level of needs if their life circumstances change.

Failed to considered Culture influence. The terms in the hierarchy, such as "self-esteem" and

"security," have wildly different definitions in cultures around the globe.

Conclusion Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs Theory has been criticized on

above facts. still it holds many advantages. It helps the managers to understand the behavior of their

employees. It also helps the managers to provide the right financial and

non-financial motivation to their employees. it will help to increase the efficiency, productivity and

profitability of the organization.

References Organizational Behavior 15 th Edition , page 215-217. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maslow's_hierarchy_of_needs www.managementstudyguide.com/maslows-hierarchy-needs-theory studypsychologyonline.blogspot.com