The Study of Motivation Is a Study in Why People Behave in a Certain Way.

Managing People and Change

Motivation

The study of motivation is a study in why people behave in a certain way. There are four main theories of motivation Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, Alderfen’s modified need hierarchy model, Herzberg’s two-factor theory and McClelland’s achievement motivation theory.

Maslow’s hierarchy of needs theory arranges five main levels of needs. Physiological as the lowest need, then safety, love, esteem and then self-actualisation as the highest. The order of needs can depend on the individual.

Physiological needs are our basic needs such as food, drink, oxygen and sleep. Safety needs are things such as our need to be safe and for predictability. Love needs are our need for belonging, social activities, also giving and receiving of love and friendship. Esteem needs are our need for self-respect, achievement and independence. Self-actualisation needs are our need to become everything we can be.

When a need has been fulfilled it no longer is a motivator therefore the individual will move on to the next need up the hierarchy.

Maslow’s hierarchy of needs was not based on the workplace however Steer and Porter put organisational factors against each of the needs which would be useful for managers as it makes the hierarchy easier to relate to.

Alderfen also improved on Maslow’s theory with his modified need hierarchy model which condenses Maslow’s five levels of need into three; existence, relatedness and growth. Existence needs cover Maslow’s physiological and safety needs, relatedness needs cove Maslow’s love and esteem and growth covers Maslow’s self-esteem and self-actualisation. Unlike Maslow’s theory the results of Alderfen’s work suggests that lower level needs do not have to be satisfied before a higher level need emerges and that you can also progress down the hierarchy. However it does agree that lower level needs decrease in motivation as they are met.

A problem with Maslow’s hierarchy of needs is that,...