Critique on Maslow’s Hierarchy of

Needs Theory

The founder of this hierarchy of human need theory is Psychologist Mr. Abraham

Harold Maslow in 1943. His theory is one of the most popular and widely use theory

of motivation. Maslow's theory is based on the Hierarchy of Human Needs. Maslow

subsequently extended the idea to include his observations of humans' constitutional

inquisitiveness.

Maslow’s Theory based on following assumptions.

1. Human needs are of varied and diversified nature. They can be arranged in a

hierarchy of importance progressing from a lower to a higher order of needs.

2. Needs have a definite hierarchy of importance. As soon as needs on a lower

level is fulfilled, those on the next level will emerge and demand satisfaction.

3. A satisfied need does not act as a motivator.

4. As one need is satisfied, another replaces it.

In this hierarchy of needs theory, according to above assumptions Maslow has

identified five types of human needs arranged in a hierarchy of their importance and

priority. Some of which focus on describing the stages of growth in humans. Maslow

used the terms "physiological", "safety", "belonging / love", "esteem", "self-

actualization” to describe the pattern that human motivations generally move

through. Maslow studied what he called exemplary people such as Albert Einstein,

Jane Addams, Eleanor Roosevelt, and Frederick Douglass rather than mentally ill or

neurotic people, writing that "The study of crippled, stunted, immature, and

unhealthy specimens can yield only a cripple psychology and a cripple philosophy.

Maslow's theory was fully expressed in his

1954 book Motivation and Personality.

The Maslow's Pyramid of Human Needs is

explained as following.

Physiological Needs: Physiological

needs are the basic needs for sustaining

human life. These needs include food, shelter, clothing, rest, air, water, sleep

and sexual satisfaction.

Security / Safety Needs : These are the needs connected with the

psychological fear of loss of job, property, natural calamities or hazards, etc.

Social Needs : An employee is a human being is rightly treated as a social

animal. He desires to stay in group.

Esteem Needs : This category of needs include the need to be respected by

others, need to be appreciated by others, need to have power and finally

prestigious position.

Self-actualization Needs : This is the highest among the needs in the hierarchy

of needs advocated by Maslow. It includes morality, creativity, spontaneity,

problem solving, lack of prejudice, acceptance of facts.

He concluded that when one type of needs is satisfied, it ceases to be a motivating

factor. Thereafter, the next set of needs in the hierarchy order takes its place. These

needs in hierarchy can be compared to a pyramid. At the lowest level, there will be

first set of needs which can be described as basic needs and are universal in

character.

When we consider about Organizational and Managerial perspective, the Maslow’s’ Hierarchy of need theory lies in the practical implications. This Theory suggests to managers how they can make their employees become self-actualized. Because self-actualized employees are work with their maximum potentials. Therefore it is important to satisfy employee’s needs to meet this stage. So organizations can take the following strategies to attain this stage

Recognize employee’s accomplishments: Recognizing employee’s

accomplishments is a way to make them satisfy their esteem needs. This could

take the form of awards. Awards could be given to employees who contribute

for customer’s satisfaction and business performance.

Provide financial security: Financial security is an important kind of safety

need. To motivate employees, organization needs to make them financially

secured by involving them in profit sharing of the organization.

Provide opportunities to socialize: Socialization is a way that keep employees

feel the spirit of working as a team. When work as a team they tend to

increase their performance.

Promote a healthy work force: Organizations can fulfill their Employees

physiological needs by providing incentives to keep them both in healthy and

mentally.

Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs Theory is very popular all over the world and provides

guidelines to managers / managements for motivating employees. However,

Maslow's theory has many criticisms.

There is no scientific evidence to prove the Maslow’s theory Because of He was not

very scientific in his investigations, as he readily admitted. Maslow said he "studied"

and "discovered" characteristics of self-actualizers, and he objected to complaints

that he had almost invented the self-actualizer syndrome. Maslow never presented

data to prove that his lists of characteristics of self-actualizers were accurate.

There is lack of direct cause and effect relationship between need and behavior. On

the other hand there is not standard measurement to measure the satisfaction of

needs.

Maslow's assumption of 'need hierarchy' does not hold best in the present age as

each person has varied of needs to be satisfied, which may not necessarily follow

Maslow's need hierarchy. Once Needs they are met, do not simply disappear. Rather,

certain environmental cues can make them come back.

Besides cultural differences, the hierarchy also fails to take into account individual

differences. One widely criticized disadvantage is he created his hierarchy of needs

from an individualistic perspective, being that he was from the United States, a

highly individualistic nation. The needs and drives of those in individualistic societies

tend to be more self-centered than those in collectivist societies.

The terms in the hierarchy, such as "self-esteem" and "security," have wildly

different definitions in cultures around the globe. Therefore, it is hard for researchers

to measure these needs or to generalize them across all human populations.

Finally we can conclude that Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs Theory has been criticized

on above facts, but 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. So 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