Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs Explained

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As per Jerome, (2013) the five levels of needs on Maslow’s hierarchy are discussed as below:
(i)           Physiological needs

This refers to biological needs which are the strongest needs since if a person were deprived of all needs such as, need for air, food, water, and relatively constant body temperature. These are basic biological needs persons to function at an optimum biological level. And it is these physiological ones that would come first in the person's search for satisfaction and healthy living.

(ii)         Safety needs

When all physiological needs are met and are no longer controlling thoughts and behaviors, the needs for security can become active”. While adults have poor awareness of their security needs except in times of emergency or periods of disorganization in the social structure such as rioting, war, social conflicts, children often display the signs of insecurity and the need to be safe. And this is the second most important need that a human needs as per the theory

(iii)       Needs for love, affection, and belongingness

Maslow states that people seek to overcome feelings of loneliness and alienation by means of insolvent of both giving and receiving love, affection and a sense of belonging. These needs are required after the needs for safety and for physiological well-being are fulfilled, where the level of needs for love, affection, and belongingness can emerge.

(iv)       Needs for esteem

Sooner the first three levels the Maslow’s pyramid are satisfied, the needs for esteem can become dominant. These involve needs for both self-esteem and for the esteem a person gets from others. The need for stability, high level of self-respect, egotism, and respect from others are satisfied, the person feels self-confident and valuable as a person in the world. When these needs are frustrated, the person feels inferior, weak, helpless and worthless.

(v)         Needs for self-actualization

Finally as per Maslow’s hierarchy theory where it is at the top of the pyramid is Self- actualization and this is the most completed need of all. By means of all foregoing needs are satisfied, then and only then are the needs for self-actualization activated. Maslow describes self-actualization as a person's need to be and do that which the person was "born to do." "A musician must make music, an artist must paint, and a poet must write." These needs make themselves felt in signs of restlessness. The person feels on edge, tense, lacking something, in short, restless. If a person is hungry, unsafe, not loved or accepted, or lacking self-esteem, it is very easy to know what the person is restless about. However, it is not always clear what a person wants when there is a need for self-actualization (Jerome, 2013).  

References 
Jerome, N. (2013) ’Application of the Maslow’s hierarchy of need theory; impacts and implications on organizational culture, human resource and employee’s performance’. International Journal of Business and Management Invention 2013: Department of Economics Taraba State University Jaling, Nigeria 2 (3) pp.39-45.

Comments

  1. Ruwini PereraJanuary 12, 2020 at 6:31 AM

    Applying Maslow's theory to organizational development and in the banking Industry lets you ensure that your organizational structure encourages employees to reach their full potential it is also important to look at from customers’ benefits too;
    Given that we are now beginning to connect customers value (their hierarchy of needs) and what investors reward. leadership teams and boards to measure and invest in what matters — not just the tangible assets at the bottom of Maslow’s hierarchy (material and tangible), but also the immaterial and intangibles at the top — so that their companies develop the tools and skills that deliver what matters to their customers. The result: more value for their investors (Libert, 2014).

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    1. Chaminda AriyaratneJanuary 15, 2020 at 9:03 AM

      Appreciate your comments and views. Indeed highly motivated staffs are happy employees. Happiness psychologically promotes good attitudes and attitudes improve interaction and customer service. As per Richard Branson (2014) quotes “I take care of my people, they take care of my customers”

      Delete
  2. gayaneeJanuary 12, 2020 at 9:06 AM

    Chaminda, You blos is clearly describe Maslow' theory. However, Abraham Maslow’s theory of the hierarchy of needs comes at the forefront of the most important studies on motivation. Almost no motivation theory in the history of management has been as effective as Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. This theory put forward by Maslow argues that humans are motivated not by external motives such as reward and punishment but by the internal needs program. In other words, needs underlie the motivation of an individual (Adair, 2013). Motivation is a general concept involving desires, wishes, needs, drives, and interests. Physiological motivations, such as hunger, thirst, sexuality, are called drives. High drives like human-specific desire to achieve are called needs (Cüceloğlu, 2016).

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    1. Chaminda AriyaratneJanuary 15, 2020 at 9:02 AM

      organization could find its basic ways to be aware of the theories levels in the pyramid to address the needs of both physiological and emotional need of their employees which helps achieve synergies related to the firm’s performances and objectives (Jerome, 2013)

      Delete
  3. SHANTHA NEW BLOGJanuary 13, 2020 at 5:49 PM

    Hi Chaminda ,Interesting presentation about leading theory .Maslow's hierarchy of needs is a motivational theory in psychology comprising a five-tier model of human needs, often depicted as hierarchical levels within a pyramid. The most considerable restriction of Maslow's theory concerns his methodology. Maslow formulated the uniqueness of self-actualized individuals from undertaking a qualitative method called biographical analysis.

    Maslow debates that motivation could be a realized phenomenon, when it is approached in terms of a ‘Hierarchy of Needs’ in the following order, Physiological, Safety, Love, Esteem and Self -actualization (Bagozzi et al, 2003)

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    Replies
    1. Chaminda AriyaratneJanuary 15, 2020 at 9:00 AM

      Thank you for your comments, yes indeed motivation of employees on any organization is vital for its performance and sustainability in the industry. And Maslow’s hierarchy of needs theory is one of the most well-spoken theories that simplifies need of basis human being (Jerome, 2013)

      Delete
  4. Vayanga RajakarunaJanuary 14, 2020 at 10:35 PM

    Customers’ needs are a better factor to deal in the businesses. Special in the commercial bank sector as you have mentioned in your blog. As you have expressed the Maslow’s hierarchy, it clearly elaborates the levels of a typical customer. The organization should have the capability of treating every customer level of the Maslow’s hierarchy. In this point I’m referring both the employee and the external customer as ‘the customer’. The reason is that we can classify them as internal customers as well as the external customers. The Maslow’s hierarchy applies on both these customer groups. According to Kaur (2013) Maslow’s hierarchy of needs theory has made a significant contribution to the organizational behavior in the area of employee motivation. My idea is that the Maslow’s hierarchy should be applied on both internal and external customers.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Chaminda AriyaratneJanuary 15, 2020 at 9:04 AM

      Appreciate your comments and views.As per (Maslow, 1954, cited in Jerome 2013) Maslow’s hierarchy of needs refers to basic human needs at their different levels in a psychological perspective, where it applies to all human beings despite being customers or employees. And of course it is evident, the banking industry has recognized human needs where their products are tailored to satisfy specific needs for example products such as home loans, vehicle loans, personal loans which full fill some of the tangible needs of customers and further customer categorization for selected customers as “corporate”, “Priority circle”,” premier Banking “and even gone to the extent of operating dedicated customer centers to fulfill their esteem needs (hnb.net ,2018),(hsbc.lk, 2018)

      Delete

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