Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs- Motivation

Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs

Motivation refers to the individual’s persistence and intensity at which the individual is directed towards the work or the job. It basically refers to the willingness or commitment of the individual towards the job. It is an individual’s urge or drive towards the job. It is a critical phenomenon explaining the organizational behaviour. It also explains organizational success or failure. On this particular phenomenon, there have been a large number of theories. The debate has been going on right from the classical era to the contemporary period.

The classical theories have explained motivation from a mono-motivational perspective. For them, an individual’s motivation in an organization is based solely on monetary or economic incentive.

This idea has been contested by the humanistic theories. They have emphasized that the motivation is dependent not just on the monetary factors but also other factors.

Barnard has explained motivation in his theory. But, the first theorist who developed a separate theory on motivation was Abraham Maslow.

Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs

He has developed his theory on motivation with the help of a concept “need”. By ‘need’, he refers to the individual’s urge which arises out of individual’s requirement to fill up some of its deficiencies. An organizational condition which satisfies the individual’s need makes the individual motivated. On the contrary, if the needs are not satisfied, the individual becomes demotivated.

He disagreed with the classical theorists and agreed with the humanistic theorists. He emphasized that an individual has multiple needs, both economic and non-economic. He categorized these needs under five heads. Later on, he discussed a sixth need which he did not integrate with his theory.

Maslow’s Hierarchy of Need

Self-Actualization Need (Higher Order Need) It refers to the need to undertake job for its innate values i.e. an urge to do a job for the sake of job itself or the job itself is pleasing.

Esteem Need (Higher Order Need) He refers to the need for achievement, recognition, authority, diversity of job etc.

Social Need (Middle Order Need) This refers to the individual’s urge to have a sociable atmosphere or environment i.e. to have a relaxed supervision, co-operative colleagues, supportive subordinates, conducive interpersonal relation etc.

Safety/Security Need (Lower Order Need) He refers to the need for the bodily security, the need for protection of life and property, the need for security against uncertainties or unforeseen events.

Physiological Need (Lower Order Need) He refers to the individual’s urge to satisfy the basic existential needs i.e. the need for food, water, shelter, clothes etc. It is economic/monetary in nature.

The Concept of Prepotency of Needs- At any given point of time, only one need out of the above mentioned needs is most intense. They are not equally influential and thereby, the individual’s action is influenced by that need (i.e. most intense). At any given point of time, the individual is seeking satisfaction from only one need i.e. the Prepotent Need. Only when there is satisfaction of the prepotent need, the individual gets motivated i.e. the organizational condition satisfies the prepotent need of the individual makes the individual motivated otherwise the individual remains demotivated. A satisfied need is no more motivational or is not motivational because extra amount of that need won’t make any difference since it has already been satisfied. The satisfied need will give rise to the Prepotency of another need.

For most of the individuals, the Prepotency of needs follows a sequence (not arbitrary). The needs become prepotent in a sequential manner.

According to Maslow, when all the needs are unsatisfied, to begin with, the first need which becomes prepotent or most intense is the Physiological Need i.e. the basic existential need.

Once, the physiological need is satisfied, the next need which becomes prepotent is the Security/Safety Need. It is not necessary that complete satisfaction of one need needs to take place in order to trigger the Prepotency of next need. The next need which becomes prepotent is the Social Need. After this, the Esteem Need comes into play. The next need which becomes prepotent is the Self-Actualization Need. Self-Actualization Need is a growth need and it is an everlasting need. Whereas, the other needs are deficit needs and exhaustible needs.

The behaviour of individuals, who are at the lower order need, can be easily manipulated. As the individual moves towards the higher order need, it becomes difficult to manipulate or predict his/her needs. As a person moves towards the higher needs, the subjectivity goes on increasing and the objectivity goes on decreasing. Thus, it becomes strenuous to satisfy the higher order need. When an individual is at the stage of self-actualization, it is very difficult to discern whether that person is motivated to work or not. Most of the individuals remain within the lower order needs. Very less numbers of people move towards the middle order needs and very rarely, an individual moves towards the Self-Actualization Need.

Critics say that Maslow’s theory is very rigid because Maslow believes that only one need is present at any particular point of time. Also, following of a particular sequence by the Prepotency of needs does not make sense.

Need Mix- Maslow clarified the ideas under the Prepotency of Needs. Prepotency basically means that any given point of time, only need is potent or strongest. There are multiple needs present and out of those needs, only one need is prepotent. If that particular need is satisfied, the person becomes motivated and if it is not satisfied, the person becomes demotivated.

Maslow accepted that there might be exceptions where an individual and his Prepotency of Need may not strictly go through the hierarchy of needs. There might be deviations in some cases.

Meta Motivational Need- The need to help others self-actualize. It has also been referred to as the Transcendence Need.