Serious doubts have been expressed about the existence of the five distinct need categories, which Maslow hypothesized. There seems to be some overlapping between esteem, social, and physiological needs. Also, the lines between esteem, social, and self-actualization needs are not entirely clear. With these points in mind, Clayton Alderfer condensed Maslow’s five need categories into three sets:

1. Existence need:

These include all forms of material and physiological and safety needs. i.e., Maslow’s first two level needs.

2. Relatedness need:

This includes all needs that involve relationships with other people we care about. Relatedness needs cover Maslow’s social needs and that of esteem needs which are derived from other people.

3. Growth need:

These needs involve persons making creative efforts to achieve full potential in the existing environment. It is like Maslow’s last level need of self-actualization.

 

There are some similarities as well as dissimilarities between Alderfer’s ERG theory and Maslow’s theory of Need Hierarchy, which are as follows:

A. Similarities:

  • Both are content theories.
  • The basic needs emphasized in both are the same.
  • The overall structure of need categories is also the same; Alderfer has grouped further the five needs enunciated by Maslow; and
  • Both deal with upward movement of motivation according to the hierarchy.

B. Dissimilarities:

  • Maslow’s main contention is hierarchy of needs, whereas Alderfer focused more on a continuum of needs than their hierarchical levels.
  • Thus, ERG needs do not maintain sharp lines of demarcation.
  • Unlike Maslow Alderfer also envisaged downward movement in the hierarchy. In his opinion, there can be not only satisfaction progression but frustration regression as well; and
  • Alderfer also recognized the influence of a man’s personal background and his natural environment. Accordingly, related needs may in some cases take precedence over existence needs.

The ERG theory acknowledges that if a higher-order need is frustrated, an individual may regress to increase the satisfaction of a lower-order need which appears easier to satisfy. This is known as the frustration-regression principle.

organizational behaviour

February 11, 2018