Thirty Second Theories: ERG Motivation Theory

Theory Designer: Clayton Alderfer

Theory Summary:
Humans have three levels of need which break down into Existence, Relatedness and Growth. Unlike Maslow’s Hierarchy, ERG promotes the idea that employees have numerous needs that are occurring simultaneously

Key words:
(1) Existence and survival: refers to physiological or basic material existence motivators (i.e. food, shelter, safety)

(2) Relatedness: refers to the motivation we have for maintaining interpersonal relationships (especially as it regards to social interaction and esteem issues).

(3) Growth: refers to an intrinsic desire for personal development (the desire to achieve, create, produce and be involved in activities that provide meaning to life).

Frustration-Regression Principle: If a person is frustrated in achieving a higher goal they will revert back to a lower level goal that may be easier to attain

Publications:
Initial article published in Psychological Review entitled “An Empirical Test of a New Theory of Human Need”
Book: Existence, Relatedness and Growth; Human Needs in Organizational Settings

Affiliation: Yale University, Cornell, Rutgers, Alderfer and Associates

Related Links:
Envision
Values Based Management
University of West Virginia ERG Lecture Notes