Page 241 - DMGT402_MANAGEMENT_PRACTICES_AND_ORGANIZATIONAL_BEHAVIOUR

Management Practices and Organisational Behaviour

Notes Besides substituting three needs for five, how does Alderfer's ERG Theory differ from Maslow's?
The ERG Theory differs from the hierarchy of needs theory in three significant ways.
1. Although the general notion of a hierarchy is retained, Alderfer's theory argues that we
can be concerned with more than one need category at the same time. Needs at lower
levels are not necessarily fairly well satisfied before we concern ourselves with other
needs, although satisfaction of lower-level needs can be helpful in allowing us to devote
our attention to higher-level needs.
2. ERG theory is more flexible in acknowledging that some individuals' needs may occur in
a somewhat different order than that posited by the ERG framework.
3. ERG theory incorporates a frustration-regression principle. This principle states that if we
are continually frustrated in our attempts to satisfy a higher-level need, we may cease to
be concerned about that need. Instead, we may regress to exhibiting greater concern for a
lower level need that is more concrete and seemingly more within our grasp.
In summary, ERG theory argues – like Maslow – that satisfied lower order needs lead to the
desire to satisfy higher order needs; but multiple needs can be operating as motivators at the
same time, and frustration in attempting to satisfy a higher level need can result in regression to
a lower level need. Both Maslow's hierarchy theory and ERG theory are extremely difficult to
test because they involve measuring and tracking an individual's changing needs and fulfilment
levels over time. So far, the limited research on ERG theory has generally been supportive. If
ERG theory is correct in predicting that individuals attempt to fulfil multiple needs at the same
time, then motivating individuals is likely to require offering a variety of means for need
fulfilment. Because of the frustration-regression aspect of ERG theory, managers need to be
particularly concerned with providing opportunities to satisfy growth needs, lest employees
cease to be interested in them.

11.3.2 McClelland's Theory of Needs

While the hierarchy of needs theory and ERG theory view certain needs as an inherent part of
our makeup, psychologist David C. McClelland offers a different perspective, 'acquired-needs'
theory, which argues that our needs are acquired or learned on the basis of our life experience.
Although such needs tend to be a product of a variety of conditions to which we are exposed,
sometimes even a specific event can profoundly influence our desires.
In the late 1930s, Murray developed the Thematic Apperception Test (TAT). Twenty pictures
were shown to subjects who were asked to make up a dramatic story about each one. Based on
the results, Murray argued that about twenty basic human needs that motivated behaviour
could be identified. Beginning in the 1950s, for more than three decades, McClelland and his
associates researched three of these needs extensively—power, affiliation, and achievement. He
measures these needs using the Thematic Apperception Test (TAT), which involves having test
takers write stories about pictures that are purposely ambiguous. The stories are then scored
according to the achievement, affiliation and power themes that they contain, the assumption
being that individuals write about themes that are important to them. McClelland believes that
each person possesses all three needs, but people differ in the degree to which the various
motives dominate their behaviour. The motives are described as:
1. Need for power (nPow): The individual exhibiting this need as the dominant one derives
satisfaction from his or her ability to control others. Actual achievement of desired goals
is of secondary importance to the high nPow individual; instead the means by which goals
are achieved (the exercise of power) are of primary importance. Individuals with a high
nPow derive satisfaction from being in positions of influence and control. Organisations
that foster the power motive tend to attract individuals with a high need for power (for
example military organisation).

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