Motivational Theories
Kagie Simon
Colorado Technical University Online
MGM335-1204B-10
Organizational Behavior Principles
Laura Poque
December 4, 2012

Motivational Theories Maslow knows for human motivation, management training, and personal development. Maslow idea surrounding the Hierarchy of needs concerning the responsibility of employers to provide a workplace environment that encourages and enables employees to fulfill their own unique potential. Maslow Hierarchy has five-stage model are: self-actualization, estern needs, belongingness and love needs, safety needs, and biological and physiological needs. Hierarchy is made up a pyramid. The lowest levels of the pyramid are made up of the most basic needs while the more complex needs are located at the top of the pyramid (Cherry, 2012). Needs at the bottom of the pyramid are basic physical requirements including the needs for food, water, sleep, and warmth (Cherry, 2012). Maslow plays a major role in motivating behavior. The highest level of the pyramid is growth needs. Growth needs do not stem from a lack of something, but rather from a desire to grow as a person. McGregor’s Theory X and Theory Y, created and developed by Douglas McGregor at the MIT Sloan School of Management in the 1960’s, pertain to employee motivation and have been used in human resource management, organized behavior analysis, and organizational development (www.empxtrack.com). Theory X is believed that everything should be end in blaming someone else. Managers that subscribe to Theory X tend to take a rather pessimistic view of their employees (www.empxtrack.com). Theory Y manager believes that, given the right conditions, most people will want to do well at work and that there is a pool of unused creativity in the workforce. Some people think Theory Y is positive set of assumptions about the workers. Fredrick Herzberg was