Comparison of Maslow Hierarchy of Needs Theory and Equity Theory - Essay Example

? Comparison of Maslow hierarchy of needs theory and equity theory and importance of organizational studies in contemporary business Course: Tutor: Date: Comparison of Maslow hierarchy of needs theory and equity theory and importance of organizational studies in contemporary business Introduction Maslow’s hierarchy of needs theory is useful in motivating employees in the workplace. The main idea of the theory is that employees have priorities of needs that they seek to fulfill in order to attain their full potential. The employee must fulfill the lower level needs that have a high priority in order to move to the higher level needs. Maslow’s hierarchies of needs starts with physiological needs, safety needs, belongingness needs, esteem needs and ultimately self-actualization needs (Brown, 2007). According to the theory, the management will motivate the employees through enabling them achieve their needs according to the order. The lower-order needs include safety, social needs and job security while the higher-order needs include recognition, self-esteem and self-actualisation attained through personal and professional growth. On the other hand, equity theory of motivation asserts that employees are motivated if they perceive that they are treated fairly (Knights & Willmott, 2007). Equity theory involves the perceptions of outcomes of performing the duties such as the salary levels, the perceptions of inputs and reference person that enables the employee to compare the outcomes and inputs in order to determine whether the existing job is equitable or inequitable. The employees will respond to perceived inequities by changing the work inputs, changing the situation or demanding more rewards. In this case, overpaid employees will experience feelings of guilt while underpaid employees will experience anger (Brown, 2007). Maslow’s theory is a content theory that focuses on external rewards such as shelter while equity theory is a process theory focuses on the dynamics of motivation. Maslow theory provides a hierarchy of human needs while equity theory provides a relationship between individual perceptions about the job and level of motivation. Maslow’s theory combines both hygiene and motivator factors while equity theory aims at enabling the management to identity the needs of employees in order to ensure their perceived job outcomes are aligned with the inputs (Knights & Willmott, 2007). Question 2 Organizational studies are important in contemporary business since the competitive edge of the business depends on the quality of people skills, structure, and social relations in the organisation (Smith, 1992). The studies examine how individuals and groups within the organisation construct processes and structures and how these structures and processes ultimately motivate employees towards high achievement. Organizational studies identify managerial and leadership approaches that fosters interpersonal relationships and contribute to high job satisfaction in the workplace (Brown, 2007). These studies enable business managers to articulate the mission, shared vision and strategy to the employees in all communications (Martin, 2001). Contemporary business environment is characterized by frequent changes in external environment variables such as new technologies, new legislations and shifts in consumption patterns thus organizational studies will enable the managers to align their business vision and strategy to these changes. In this case, managers will be capable of collecting market intelligence information and outlining competitive strategies that aim at attaining the overall business vision (Cole, 2004). Accordingly, the studies will motivate employees through ensuring proper leadership styles that aim at ensuring team work and improving the individual employee performance (Smith, 1992). In this case, modern business must implement transformational leadership practices that consider the unique needs of each employee and that aim at inspiring the efforts of employees towards attaining the overall business goals (Cole, 2004). Accordingly, organizational studies entail personality studies that enhance high motivation in the workplace. In this case, organizational studies enable managers to understand the unique personalities of the individual employee and undertake measures of ensuring social cohesion in a multi-cultural workforce (Cole, 2004). Accordingly, personality values of openness to new experiences, agreeableness and emotional intelligence enables managers to deal with challenging situations such as job-related conflicts and poor performance in the organization. The studies are useful in maintaining a work-life balance that aims at controlling job-related stress and ensuring workers demonstrate emotional stability during challenging situations (Brown, 2007). Organizational studies in contemporary businesses will focus on the set of processes that direct and maintain the expected employee behavior. Managers are capable of creating an informal workplace that fosters co-operation, trust and cordial interpersonal relationships thus improving the outcomes of teams and groups within the organization (Long, 2012). At the same time, organizational studies foster motivation through encouraging employees to take ownership of their tasks and responsibility for the job outcomes. In this case, the studies encourage delegation of work and authority thus ensuring employees are empowered to take action and deliver the expected job outcomes without supervision (Cole, 2004). Organizational studies focus on human needs that are essential in attaining self-esteem and self-actualization thus managers in contemporary business motivate their employees through provision of the essential human needs (Singh, 2010). For instance, contemporary businesses satisfy the physiological needs of employees through paying fair salaries and bonuses. The business will also provide a safe working environment that is free from health hazards and undertake measures to provide insurance cover and protective clothing to employees working in high-risk industries such as petroleum industries (Knights & Willmott, 2007). Accordingly, contemporary businesses satisfy the safety or security needs through provision of job security and other fringe benefits such as retirement benefits (Miner, 2007). Organizational studies enable contemporary businesses satisfy the social needs of employees through encouraging them to form compatible work groups, informal groups and friendships at the workplace. The organizations will hold routine social activities such as games, visits to national parks and charity activities that aim at enhancing social cohesion in the work groups (Long, 2012). The business will ensure employees attain esteem needs through merit pay increases, high job status and recognition for excellent job performance. In this case, the business must have individual employee performance expectations and implement a system of evaluating the job performance in order to reward excellent performance through bonuses, promotions and recognitions (McClelland, 1987). At the same time, organizational studies foster personal and professional development of employees thus will contribute towards self-actualization of the employees (Singh, 2010). In this case, contemporary businesses will provide career development and advancement opportunities, creative tasks and allow employees to pursue their own personal goals (Cole, 2004). Organizational studies are useful in recruitment and training processes of employees in contemporary businesses. The management must ensure that employees have the required knowledge, skills and attitudes to perform their tasks effectively. Training employees enables them to perform their tasks effectively and improve productivity thus leading to high job satisfaction and motivation (Long, 2012). Accordingly, the studies help in job design process that entails identifying the tasks, roles and responsibilities of the employee. In this case, the business will enhance motivation through creating work unit climate that adheres to the expectations of employees thus enhancing relationships within the departments Knights & Willmott, 2007). The studies facilitate organizational design and restructuring process that aims at enhancing organizational performance. Contemporary businesses ensure flatter organizational structures and effective communication channels in order to enhance work flow processes and attain high individual job productivity (Aquinas, 2006). In this case, the organizational systems such as policies, procedures and reward systems will motivate employees if they are aligned with the overall organizational objectives and individual goals. At the same time, informal communication channels will enhance performance feedback while flatter organizational hierarchy will enhance decision-making thus leading to high motivation (Aquinas, 2006). Contemporary businesses seek multi-skilled workforce from different cultural groups in order to motivate employees through job enlargement and job enrichment. Job enlargement entails providing a variety of challenging tasks and setting challenging performance standards. In addition, the business will provide the individuals will necessary skills and delegate the authority to the individual employee (Long, 2012). The management will foster job rotation in order to avoid work monotony and ensure job enrichment through providing additional interesting tasks. Organizational studies include the impact of organizational culture in motivating employees and cultural changes that aim at instilling values and shared beliefs of high achievement in the organization (Long, 2012). The organizational culture comprises the values, beliefs, norms and attitudes that influence interactions among several stakeholders in the organization. Organizational studies will help employees to align their expectations and goals to the organizational values thus enhancing relationships within the business (Long, 2012). Conclusion Organizational studies enable contemporary businesses to understand the factors that influence employee behavior in the organization. The studies are useful in motivating staff at the workplace since they guide the management in organizational design and implementation of reward systems. The studies ensure proper leadership styles and cordial work environment that encourages performance feedback, team work and cordial informal groups. Contemporary businesses motivate employees through linking job performance to rewards and paying fair salaries, providing financial incentives like bonuses, share-ownership schemes, retirement benefits. The businesses provide job security, safe working conditions and hygiene factors like job recognition, achievement awards and career growth and advancement opportunities. Reference list: Aquinas, P.G. 2006. Organizational behaviour: concepts realities applications and challenges. New Delhi: Excel Books. Brown, L.V. 2007. Psychology of motivation. New York: Nova Science. Cole, G.A. 2004. Organizational behaviour: theory and practice. London: Thomson. Knights, D & Willmott, H. 2007. Introducing organizational behaviour and management. London: Thomson Learning. Long, R. 2012. Motivation. London: Routledge. Martin, J. 2001. Organizational behaviour. London: Thomson learning. McClelland, D.C. 1987. Human motivation. London: CUP Archive. Miner, J.B. 2007. Organizational behavior: from theory to practice. New York: Sharpe. Singh, K. 2010. Organizational behaviour: text and cases. Chandigarh: Pearson. Smith, C.P. 1992. Motivation and personality: handbook of thematic content analysis. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Read More