What is Maslow's hierarchy of needs? Meaning and application in management
Maslow's hierarchy of needs is a theory applied in many areas of life, including business management. So what is Maslow's hierarchy of needs? In the article below, let's learn with 1C Vietnam about the concept, advantages and disadvantages as well as how to apply Maslow's hierarchy of needs effectively in management!
1. What is Maslow's hierarchy of needs? Meaning of Maslow's pyramid
Maslow's hierarchy of needs is a series of theories explaining human satisfaction formed and developed by Abraham Maslow - a psychologist. Accordingly, this theory believes that people are motivated and motivated by many different needs. The pyramid is divided into 5 levels of needs including: Physical & physiological needs, safety needs, social needs, respect needs and self-expression needs.
2. Maslow's 5 levels of needs
Maslow's hierarchy of needs is often represented as a pointed triangular pyramid with 5 ladders of needs arranged in order from low to high with distinct meanings. This theory holds that the first 4 needs are born from deficiency and only the 5th need is born from human desire. Join us to learn the specific content of each level of needs in Maslow's hierarchy.
2.1. Physiological needs
This is the first level in Maslow's hierarchy of needs, representing basic physiological needs to help people maintain life and develop such as food, shelter, clothing, etc. is a basic but most important need for each person, because only when this need is satisfied will people have the opportunity to desire or fulfill the remaining 4 levels of needs.
Therefore, when applying the theory of Maslow's hierarchy of needs in business management, it is said that if an employee wants to focus on creativity and work effectively, the business must meet their physical needs. his biology in aspects such as: salary enough to cover clothing needs, incentives, bonuses,...
2.2. The need to ensure safety
As the second level in Maslow's hierarchy of needs, the need for safety is the process of finding things that help maintain the need to live and survive at the first level. It can be simply understood that: When people are fully satisfied physically and physiologically, they will find ways to maintain life and protect previously acquired physiological needs. The transition from "eat well, dress well" to "eat well, dress well" is the most accurate explanation of the content of level 2 of Maslow's hierarchy of needs.
Basically, the need to ensure safety is divided into the following 3 contents:
- The need to ensure life safety
- The need to ensure health safety
- The need to ensure security of assets and income
It can be said that level 1 and 2 needs in Maslow's hierarchy of needs are correlated and support each other so that people can survive and improve their quality of life. In corporate governance, the need to ensure safety is expressed through employees' desire to pay insurance, or the desire to work in safe agencies, fully equipped with working equipment.
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2.3. Societal needs
Social needs in Maslow's hierarchy of needs are formed when people have a desire to expand social relationships to eliminate the feeling of anxiety when being alone. It can be said that after fully satisfying physiological and safety needs (physical needs), from the 3rd level onwards of Maslow's pyramid are spiritual needs. These needs are typically building relationships such as family, friends, lovers, spouses, groups,...
An easy-to-understand example of level 3 of Maslow's hierarchy of needs is: In business, level 3 of Maslow's hierarchy of needs is expressed in the desire to expand relationships with colleagues and friends among employees for the purpose of integrate and complete the job well.
2.4. The need to be respected
In Maslow's hierarchy of needs, the need for esteem is the desire to be accepted and to receive respect from others. At this 4th level of needs, people will constantly make efforts and try to work with the desire to receive recognition from others.
In Maslow's hierarchy of needs, the 4th level is divided into two groups as follows:
- Wanting to gain respect and reputation: Shown in the position, status and reputation that the person has "achieved" in the organization or business.
- Self-respect and self-confidence: Clearly shown in the fact that a person knows how to value his or her own dignity and morality.
In corporate governance, the need for respect is a factor that helps managers effectively motivate and train their employees. Because when people want to be respected and achieve a higher position, they will constantly try to work and not be afraid to learn and challenge their own abilities.
2.5. The need to express oneself
Among the 5 levels of Maslow's hierarchy of needs, this is the need at the highest level, only appearing when all 4 needs below are satisfied. People who need to express themselves will want their efforts to be recognized by others or to contribute to society. Unlike the previous needs, the need for self-expression comes from each person's own desires.
3. Maslow's hierarchy of needs expanded
Based on the previous five main levels, in 1970, the father of Maslow's hierarchy of needs expanded his theory by updating new levels of needs. Let's learn about these 3 new needs.
3.1. Cognitive needs
This is an added level to the need for Self-Expression in the previous 5th level. According to the new theory, people will have the desire to explore to satisfy their own curiosity, constantly absorb, learn, and experience new things to expand their knowledge and consciousness.
3.2. Aesthetic needs
This is the 6th layer added to the theory of Maslow's hierarchy of needs, according to which people will tend to actively seek and enjoy the beauty of the world around them. These beauties can be found and felt through music, painting, art,...
3.3. Spiritual needs
Spiritual needs only appear when a person has satisfied all his or her own needs. This need at the 8th level is clearly expressed in a caring attitude and willingness to help those around you. Another manifestation of spiritual needs is that they gradually pursue, are interested in, and wish to explore and experience spiritual and spiritual values.
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4. Advantages and disadvantages of Maslow's hierarchy of needs
Although Maslow's hierarchy of needs is considered a guideline and applied in many different fields, this concept still has certain disadvantages.
4.1. About advantages
Some advantages of Maslow's needs include:
- Maslow's hierarchy of needs helps businesses accurately locate target customers.
- Helps businesses and administrators easily capture customer behavior and psychology accurately, increasing the effectiveness of business campaigns.
4.2. Defect
Although applied in many fields, Maslow's hierarchy of needs still has disadvantages such as:
- Maslow's theory is only relative. Depending on each country, ethnicity, region, culture, etc., certain deviations will appear.
- Inaccuracy when measuring the satisfaction of one need before moving on to the next need.
- There are too many behaviors and needs that need to be handled at each level without a clear priority order.
- It is easy to get confused when Maslow's hierarchy of needs model is quite simple, sometimes a product can satisfy many different needs at the same time.
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5. Application of Maslow's pyramid in management
Today, Maslow's hierarchy of needs is effectively applied by businesses in human resource management as well as in marketing activities.
5.1. Applying Maslow's hierarchy of needs in human resource management
Maslow's hierarchy of needs is extremely loved by managers because this theory brings efficiency in human resource management.
- With the most basic physiological needs, human resource managers need to ensure stable salaries, benefits and bonuses so that their employees can maintain life in aspects such as: food, clothing, accommodation,...
- Administrators also need to maintain and ensure safety needs, especially in terms of employee health and safety through insurance.
- In terms of social needs, businesses should increase exchange activities between employees and departments to create comfort and relaxation to increase work efficiency.
- With the need for respect in Maslow's hierarchy, human resource managers should establish equal rewards, punishments, and remuneration regimes and must know how to listen and sympathize with their employees.
- And finally, applying the need for self-expression in Maslow's hierarchy will help businesses exploit all the strengths of their employees and have a talented human resources system.
5.2. Applying Maslow's pyramid in Marketing
For a long time, the theory of Maslow's hierarchy of needs has been considered a tool that brings great benefits in marketing campaigns. Because the ultimate goal of marketing campaigns and activities is to target potential customers. When applying this theory, businesses can easily accurately sketch the portrait of potential customers. Based on that, finding customer insight as well as planning marketing strategies becomes easier and more effective.
So, above is all the information related to Maslow's hierarchy of needs , a useful theory in business management. To apply Maslow's pyramid well, businesses can consider using 1C:Company Management software - today's comprehensive and advanced business management solution. The software integrates many useful features, helping to record and manage customer information, exploit needs and provide professional customer care. At the same time, the software also supports managing human resource information, assigning jobs and controlling work progress effectively. For more details about the software, please contact 1C Vietnam.
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