Posts: 755
Threads: 467
Joined: Oct 2010
How can human needs be classified?
Posts: 755
Threads: 467
Joined: Oct 2010
Need can be defined as a condition requiring supply or relief, the lack of anything requisite, desired or useful. A motivating situation has a both (i) a subjective and (ii) an objective aspect. A need is a subjective side of motivation when the process of obtaining the incentives satisfies the need; the situation is described as motivating. An understanding of the role played by need of human being is thus a sine qua non to securing the desired motivation.
Human needs may be classified into two:
(1) Innate, Basic, Physiological or Primary Needs.
(2) Social, Psychological, Secondary or Acquired needs.
(1) Primary Needs-These are the basic needs and are important for the survival of man. These needs are universal though their intensity may differ. Some of the primary needs are food, water, sleep, air to breathe, sex, clothing, shelter, social environment influences the needs.
(2) Secondary or Acquired Needs— Such needs are related to mind and spirit. Many of these needs develop as one matures or gets education. Social environment and time get them realised. Secondary needs may be further classified as (/) Social needs and (ii) egoistic needs.
Social Needs—Man is a social animal and wants to live in the society in respectable manner and like to maintain his social status. He always takes it in mind what others think about him. Instances of such needs are belongingness, recognition etc.
Egoistic Needs—These needs arc related to the ego of the individual which depends upon the nature of the person. He assesses his own value in his view i.e., what he thinks about himself is the main source of these needs. Instance of such needs are self-esteem, sense of duly, self-assertion and so on.
Actually secondary needs make the efforts of the manager complicated because they vary among people much more than primary needs. Secondary needs develop a variety of motives in each person and are often hidden so that he himself cannot recognise them.
It should also be noted that both primary and secondary needs exist in a person at the same time and it is very difficult to differentiate among the various needs. Thus, motivation of workers is concerned with the satisfaction of the various needs. The manager should study and try to understand the various needs and give them an order so as to take the necessary action to satisfy them in order to motivate the workers to achieve the organisation objectives.
