Maslow's Theory

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The purpose of this assignment is to present a comparison and contrast the contributions of two Management Theorists and their contributions to the field of management. I am looking at Abraham Maslow and Frederick Herzberg and the impact they had in the field of management. The hierarchy of needs system, developed by Maslow (1954), is used very often for categorising human motives. Maslow’s theory states that people are motivated by unsatisfied needs which are in a hierarchical order that prevents people from being motivated by a need area unless all lower level needs have been met (Pardee, Ronald L, 1990). To prove that humans are not blindly reacting to situations, but trying to accomplish something greater, Maslow studied mentally healthy…show more content…
This theory is a two-dimensional paradigm that operates on two sets of needs. Herzberg called one need, satisfiers or motivators and the other need he called, dissatisfiers or hygiene factors’ (Arnett, 2008, p.21). According to his theory, hygiene factors will not motivate, but if they are not present, they can decrease motivation. Motivational factors will not necessarily lower motivation, but can be responsible for increasing motivation. Both theorists have a similar approach to management. Nevertheless, both theories are quite different in many…show more content…
These must be fulfilled before going onto the next stage. Also, both theories are built on the argument that ‘we behave as we do because we are attempting to fulfil internal needs.’ (Bartol et al., 2005). In addition, both theories are shaped by environmental circumstances, employee viewpoint and as a result, their motivation. Both theorists see these as factors that can impact an employee’s performance. Maslow and Herzberg both categorise the norms of motivational factors, whereas these may not be the norms in other countries. ‘Many of the differences in employee motivation, management styles, and organizational structures of companies throughout the world can be traced to differences in the collective mental programming of people in different national cultures’. (Geert Hofstede et al, 1980). Each theorist have points that parallel with one another. For example, in Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs the first three stages of the pyramid (Physiological, Safety and Social) resemble Herzberg’s Hygiene theory in which they both are under the same umbrella of ideas i.e. working conditions, wages etc. Similarly, the last two stages of Maslow’s theory (Esteem and Self- Actualisation) are compatible to Herzberg’s Motivator idea in which, again, they are under the same umbrella of ideas i.e. personal growth and

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