LITERATURE REVIEW ON MASLOW’S HIERARCHY OF NEEDS

LITERATURE REVIEW ON MASLOW’S HIERARCHY OF NEEDS

1.0 Introduction

This chapter presents a review of the related literature on the subject under study presented by various researchers, scholars, analysts, and authors. These documents will be used in expounding more on how staff motivation affects their productivity at the workplace.

1.1 MASLOW’S HIERARCHY OF NEEDS.

Maslow’s hierarchy of needs is a motivation theory in psychology that comprises of a five-tier model of human beings, and he starts with the idea that people tend to want something and what they wish to always depend on what they already have. Maslow groups this want/need into hierarchy levels within a pyramid, the lowest level is the physiological need, and these include food, water, shelter, and clothing. When these needs are and a person doesn’t feel hunger, thirst, or cold, he proceeds to the second level of needs. The second-lowest need is need for security, under this a person needs to feel secure in the society and his/her family. The individual will develop the desire to feel protected against violence, this need can be manifested with savings for future use, insurance policies for one’s health and mental health. After one is secure, he needs to feel that he is loved and that he can also give back love; these forms the third hierarchy in the pyramid of human needs. Under the third need, human beings need to be appreciated, and they develop good relationships with others. The fourth is self-esteem which describes a person’s overall sense of self- worth, it encompasses beliefs about oneself such as I am loved as well as emotional states such as despair, pride or shame. People who evaluate themselves highly based on what they have achieved receive appreciation from others. At the top of the level of the hierarchy of need is self-actualization, and this is dependent on the satisfaction of the lower four levels, self- actualization is the need to exercise power. The figure below demonstrates what has been discussed above:

The principal of this Theory lies in the fact that when one need is fulfilled; its strength reduces, and that of the next level increases. However, Maslow doesn’t state that one need has to be totally fulfilled before one proceeds to the next level therefore a person can be partly satisfied with one need and still seek to satisfy the next level. (Salanova & Kirmanen.2010)

1.2 Herzberg Motivation/Hygiene Theory

This Theory is also called the two-factor theory, Herzberg started his studies in the 1950s in a town known as Pittsburg, and he based his Theory on the Maslow’s Hierarchy of needs. His first idea was that what causes job satisfaction is the opposite of what causes job dissatisfaction, but after studying thousands of books he was able to draw any guidelines. Herzberg then decided to conduct a survey where he asked employees to identify those things that made them feel positive about their job and that those made them cynical about the same. His findings were that people are happy with what they do or the way they are utilized and unhappy when treated, therefore those things that make people satisfied at work are different from those that cause dissatisfaction and the two can’t be opposite. This is what forms the basis of his Theory of motivators and hygiene factors where hygiene factors cause short term satisfaction while motivators cause longer-term job satisfaction.

1.2.1MOTIVATOR’S.

This are also called satisfiers, and they are those factors that cause feelings of satisfaction at work. They change the nature of the work and also challenge a person to develop his talent and realize his full potential. Motivators’ factors come from intrinsic feelings and include things like recognition, achievement, career advancement, and growth.

1.2.2 Hygiene factors.

This are those factors that employees need to be in good shape, and they do not cause satisfaction, but their absence causes dissatisfaction. For instance, salaries and wages must be equivalent to those that other employees in the same industry get, and employees must feel that their jobs are secure in the current economic situation. The working environment also needs to be safe, clean, and conducive; the organization should also consider giving out sufficient fridge benefits like pension and health and flexible working hours. According to Ellis (2005,83), these factors are related to the content of work, and if they are in proper form, they eliminate job dissatisfaction. Herzberg’s finding is that the opposite of satisfaction is not dissatisfaction but no joy (Salanova & Kirmanen.2010)

1.3Expectancy Theory

This concept was developed by Vroom, and it’s based on the probability that actions lead to an outcome. Vroom defines the concept of expectancy as a situation where an individual chooses between alternatives that involve uncertain incomes and its clear that his behavior will not only be affected by his preferences among the outcomes, but also by the degree to which he believes the outcomes will be possible. In other words, expectancy is temporary trust concerning the likelihood that a defined action will be followed by particular outcomes (Vroom .1996).

In this case motivation is likely going to exist when there is a clearly perceived and functional relationship between performance and outcomes, and the outcome in this case is seen as the means of satisfying an anticipated need. The Theory suggests that there are two factors that determine the effort an employee puts in his job. The first factor is value od reward to the employee and the extent to which the reward satisfies his need for security, autonomy, self-esteem, and self -actualization. The second factor is the likelihood that the reward is subject to the effort as perceived by the employee and his expectation on the relationship between effort and reward. Therefore, employees

give more efforts at work expecting bigger reward (Armstrong 2006,259-260)