Case Study

1. According to Maslow’s hierarchy, which basic needs does the Patagonia culture meet? What would it be like to work at Patagonia? What’s your assessment of the company’s work environment?

There are five needs in the Maslow’s hierarchy theory. Physiological, safety, social, esteem, and self-actualization. In my opinion Patagonia does not meet any of the basic cultural needs. Even though Patagonia gives childcare so the parents can work the employees of Patagonia do not have a private rest area away from the business visitors. The employees feel uncomfortable disturbing the visitors who are also resting in the restroom. Maslow’s hierarchy states that the company should motivate their employees by providing them with psychological rewards when they perform a challenging task. But Patagonia’s company show that the employees of Patagonia were given responsibilities for their work in order to meet the company’s cultural needs not their own. I also think that working at Patagonia has its ups and downs. One upside is that Patagonia does have childcare so I would be able to work and wouldn’t need to pay extra for someone else to watch my child. But on the other hand I do not think that I would feel comfortable working in a place that doesn’t have a employee break room. It would be fun surfing and what not for work but I don’t think I would want to work there myself. I think that the company’s environment is not necessarily like a business environment and not properly ran. I also think that the employees really don’t have a sense of “work “by working at Patagonia.

2. Use the expectancy theory and/or the equality theory of motivation to explain how feeling underpaid might affect the work of a Patagonia associate and what a manager can do to increase the employee’s motivation.

The expectancy theory states that a person’s behavior is greatly influenced by the outcomes of their expectations. In Patagonia’s case the employees feel less motivated by having to use the same rest...