Overview
According to Onah F. O (2015) in 1943 well known researcher in the study of human needs and motivation & professor of psychology Abraham Maslow from Brandeis University introduced hierarchy of needs theory. According to Maslow there are five levels of needs that motivates people which are (1) Physiological needs, (2) safety needs, (3) belonging needs, (4) esteem needs and (5) self-Actualization needs. Abraham Maslow propounded the theory of human needs which is popularly known as Maslow’s hierarchy of needs in human environment in the society (Aruma & Hanachor, 2017). Self-Actualization the desire to personnel fulfilment, to develop one’s potential to became everything one is capable of becoming (Huczynski &Buchanan, 2013)
Source: (Onah, 2015).
Huczynski & Buchanan (2013) further breaks down the theory into 9 areas.
“Most textbooks ignore needs 2 to 5 in Maslow’s framework and concentrate instead on the other five needs. One explanation is that freedom of inquiry, transcendence, aesthetics, and the need to know are not relevant to work, organizations, or management. How valid is that explanation? How else can we explain why those needs are rarely discussed?” (Huczynski &Buchanan, 2013, p.294)
Source: (Huczynski, and Buchanan, 2013).
Criticism
At the same time Armstrong (2014) argues that Maslow’s needs hierarchy has an intuitive appeal and has been very popular. But it has not been veriied by empirical research such as that conducted by Wahba and Bridwell (1979), and it has been criticized for its apparent rigidity – different people may have different priorities and the underpinning assumption that everyone has the same needs is invalid. It is difficult to accept that needs progress steadily up the hierarchy and Maslow himself expressed doubts about the validity of a strictly ordered hierarchy. But he did emphasize that the higher-order needs are more significant.
References:
Armstrong, M. (2014). Armstrong’s Handbook of Human Resource Management Practice, 13th Edition. Kogan Page.
Aruma, E.O. and Hanachor, M.E. (2017). Abraham Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs and Assessment of Neends in Community Development. International Journal of Development and Economic Sustainability, 5(7), pp.15–27.
Huczynski, A.A. and Buchanan, D.A. (2013). Organizational behaviour. 8th ed. Harlow: Pearson Education Limited.
Onah, F.O. (2015). Human Resource Management 4th Edition. John Jacob’s Classic Publishers Ltd.
Nadler & Lawler (1979), argue that the theory makes the following unrealistic assumptions about employees in general that; all employees are alike, all situations are alike and that and there is only one best way to meet needs.
ReplyDeleteGraham & Messner, (1998) too criticises the theory. they have three major criticisms directed to the need theory and other content theories of motivation. (a) There is scant empirical data to support their conclusions, (b) they assume employees are basically alike, and (c) they are not theories of motivation at all, but rather theories of job satisfaction.
DeleteHi Rumaiz, when discussing about this motivational model it should be noted that the bottom line is that everyone is emotionally affected at all levels of Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs. if early life experiences as a child are positive, and needs are being met, serviced, this individual will excel in the area of self-confidence and self-esteem at a much faster rate. It helps to establish a solid foundation for life. Later, the individual is able to establish a much stronger set of coping mechanisms when one of the deficit needs is not being met. In addition, when adverse circumstances confront the individual, he or she is often better equipped with the ability to solve problems and face the challenges with confidence (Poston, 2009).
ReplyDeleteHi Reshan, its a good argument. Armstrong (2014) states that Malsow argued the experience of self-actualization stimulates desire for more. Maslow claimed that self- actualizers have ‘peak experiences’. When you have had one of these, you want another. Self-actualization cannot be satisfied in the same way as the other needs.
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