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A Case Study of Motivation Theories application

Article · January 2016

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Kenneth Agyekum-Kwatiah
University of East London
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 Book Title: Leaders & Managers Alert: Productive Leaders and Managers of Forward-Thinking
Organisations in Modern Businesses
By Professor Kenneth Agyekum-Kwatiah
Published 2016

A Case Study of Motivation Theories application

A brief comparison/contrast: An examination of Maslow and Herzberg motivational theories
as they apply to a personal work experience of a child minder

Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs (Esteem) and Herzberg’s Motivation-Hygiene Theory are

more applicable to my experience.

Maslow (1943, 1954) identified five levels of individual needs (divided into deficiency
needs and growth needs and formed into a pyramid) which are more important to
individuals in different stages of life. Maslow concluded that people are motivated to
meet certain needs which are at different levels of precedence. He argued that our
basic need is for physical survival (the first thing that motivates our behaviour). Once this
level is fulfilled, the next level up is what motivates us and so on. The motivation needs
sequence are:
1. Biological and Physiological needs - air, food, drink, shelter, warmth, sex, sleep.
2. Safety needs - protection from elements, security, order, law, stability, freedom from
fear.
3. Love and belongingness needs - friendship, intimacy, trust and acceptance, receiving
and giving affection and love. Affiliating, being part of a group (family, friends, work).
4. Esteem needs - achievement, mastery, independence, status, dominance, prestige,
self-respect, and respect from others.
5. Self-Actualization needs - realizing personal potential, self-fulfilment, seeking personal
growth and peak experiences.

Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs by Saul McLeod, 2007

Gina’s role as a childminder was time-intensive and bordered on a high awareness of

health and safety. This put her on the edge most times and she had to continue
updating her knowledge in order to keep up. Knowing that her basic needs (e.g. food)
and that of a massive support from her family were met was very sustaining. This agrees
with Maslow’s physiological safety social needs. However, her natural love for child
caring and her ambition to succeed was her main driving force. Meaning, she was not

Professor Kenneth Agyekum-Kwatiah

 Book Title: Leaders & Managers Alert: Productive Leaders and Managers of Forward-Thinking
Organisations in Modern Businesses
By Professor Kenneth Agyekum-Kwatiah
Published 2016

driven up the ladder in hierarchical stages as propounded by Maslow. She had her eye
fixed on being successful regardless of whether or not she received e.g. family support or
she felt loved by friends.

Herzberg propounded that intrinsic motivators (e.g. recognition, and relationship) and
extrinsic motivators (e.g. status, job security, and salary) have an inverse relationship. He
argued that extrinsic motivators are expected and so can cause dissatisfaction if they
are absent. Intrinsic motivators can provide extra motivation. Because of this, he
concluded that satisfaction and dissatisfaction are independent

Gina was poorly paid as a childminder. Despite this, she felt very positive and never
allowed this to affect her work. The job was a low grade, temporary (lacked job security)
with very low salary and certainly no fringe benefits. This did not dent her motivation as
she saw it as a platform for progression in her career. Hertzberg’s intrinsic motivators idea,
however, is in harmony with her childminding experience as she was more driven by
factors such as the challenging nature of her job, recognition from her superiors, and the
cordial relationship which she formed in the workplace (particularly with the children and
their parents).

Both Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs and Herzberg’s Motivation-Hygiene Theory are very
useful tools for achieving Human Resources goals in modern business practice. However,
they require extensive adjustments in their application if they are to make a direct
impact in today’s rapid changing business world.

References:
Armstrong, M (2006).A Hand Book of Hunan Resources Management Practice. London.
Kogan/page Publishers
Griffing, R.W (2013), Fundamentals of Management Cengage Learning.
Laurig J. Mullins, Management & Organisational Behaviour, Nine Edition.

Professor Kenneth Agyekum-Kwatiah

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