Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Conventional Theories of Motivation
Conventional Theories of Motivation
Maslow’s idea belongs to a time and place. Maslow was American and he first
suggested the hierarchy in the 1940s. The ideas are highly specific to America’s
individualist culture where middle-class people worry about their personal needs
more than any collective needs.
McClelland's Theory
He identified three motivators that he believed we all have: a need for
achievement, a need for affiliation, and a need for power. People will have
different characteristics depending on their dominant motivator.
The average person dislikes work and will avoid it he/she can.
Therefore most people must be forced with the threat of punishment to work
towards organisational objectives.