Assignment Question 1 Due Date: 9 May 08
1. Compare and contrast Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs Theory with:
a. Alderfer’s ERG Theory and
b. Herzberg’s Motivation-Hygiene Theory (30 Marks)
1. Introduction
Motivation is a word used to refer to the reason or reasons for engaging in a particular behavior, especially human behavior as studied in psychology and neuropsychology. These reasons may include basic needs such as food or a desired object, hobbies, goal, state of being, or ideal. According to Geen, motivation refers to the initiation, direction, intensity and persistence of human behavior.
Figure1: Motivation Chart
With this, motivation had played a very important role in many companies and work as well. The term motivation theory is concerned with the processes that describe why and how human behavior is activated and directed. It is regarded as one of the most important areas of study in the field of organizational behavior. There are two different categories of motivation theories such as content theories, and process theories. Even though there are different motivation theories, none of them are universally accepted.
Also known as need theory, the content theory of motivation mainly focuses on the internal factors that energize and direct human behavior. Maslow's hierarchy of needs, Alderfer's ERG theory, Herzeberg's motivator-hygiene theory (Herzeberg's dual factors theory), and McClelland's learned needs or three-needs theory are some of the major content theories.
Maslow's hierarchy of needs is often depicted as a pyramid consisting of five levels: the four lower levels are grouped together as being associated with Physiological ne ...