McClelland’s Theory of Needs

-Dhannya & Nikunj

Definition & Understanding (Need)

A need is a psychological feature that arouses an organism to action toward a goal, giving purpose and direction to behavior.

An individual's specific needs are acquired over time and are shaped by one's life experiences

McClelland’s Theory of Needs

This theory focuses on three needs:-

1. Need for achievement (nAch)2. Need for power (nPow)3. Need for affiliation (nAff)

A small experiment…Target Probability of success Prize

(Rs.)

A 99% success 500

B 80% success 1000

C 50% success 2000

D 20% success 4000

E 1% success 8000

Need for Achievement (nAch)

tend to avoid both low-risk and high-risk situations

need regular feedback in order to monitor the progress

prefer to work either alone or with other high individuals

People having nAch…

challenging projects with reachable goals

strong need for feedback as to achievement and progress

a need for a sense of accomplishment

Need for power (nPow)

Personal- direct others

Institutional- want to organize the efforts of others

to further the goals of the organization

therefore the people with institutional power tend to be moreeffective managers

People having nPow…

Management should provide power seekers the opportunity to manage others

Need for Affiliation (nAff) need harmonious relationships with

other people need to feel accepted by other people tend to conform to the norms of their

work group prefer work that provides significant

personal interaction perform well in customer service and

client interaction situations.

People having nAff…

perform best in a cooperative environment.