Principles of Management

¶ … Management

Maslow's Hierarchy outlines human needs, using a pyramid structure with five levels. The underlying principle of the hierarchy is that humans attempt to satisfy needs at the lowest unfulfilled level. Thus, they will take care of safety needs only once their base physiological needs have been satisfied.

The levels of the hierarchy are the physiological needs, those most basic for survival. The second level are safety needs, which include both physical and financial safety. Social needs are next - the need for interaction with other humans. This is followed by esteem needs - the need to feel good about oneself. These four needs form the bottom four layers of the pyramid. At the top are cognitive needs (the need to learn and grow), aesthetic needs (the need to surround oneself with beauty) and self-actualization needs (the need to fulfill one's potential). The difference between these two layers is that the top layer, the growth needs, are seen as drivers for behavior. In other words, humans who have satisfied all their basic needs are motivated internally by these growth needs.

Wheelworks does not specifically address the physiological needs. Employees would not come to work if they had basic survival needs to attend to. Safety needs are met in several ways - pay, health benefits and the 401K plan. Social needs are met in that the employees are surrounded by likeminded individuals (cycling enthusiasts), both staff and customer. Esteem needs are met in the way that the employees take pride in their contribution to the team, and in the way that they impact positively the lives of their customers. Cognitive needs are met through the learning seminars held 4-5 times per month, giving the employees the opportunity to increase their knowledge of cycling. Aesthetic needs are met by creating a wholly bicycle-centric environment. It is aesthetically important for cycling geeks to be immersed in such as environment. Lastly, self-actualization needs are met in that the employees are encouraged to set their own course in their employment. The environment is such that the other needs of the employees are met to such a degree that they have the freedom to pursue the path of self-actualization within the context of the bicycle store.

2) Herzberg's Two Factor Theory suggests that job satisfaction and job dissatisfaction are independent of one another. He explains that job satisfaction arises from motivators, such as recognition and personal growth. Job dissatisfaction arises from a different set of factors, such as company policy, interpersonal relationships, and money.