Discussion 4
Look at this video about how Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. One of the negatives of this theory is that it is based on the western, individualistic thought process. Now that you know a lot more about the differences in workplace cultures in different countries, can you think of specific countries where the hierarchy may not be in this order? How might it vary?
Need two replies 300 word min each
Julia
According to Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, people are motivated by their needs, and must have their basic need met before pursuing to fulfill their higher needs.
Our very basic of needs is our physiological needs which include things like food and shelter.
After these needs are met, we can move on to safety needs like good health and job and personal security. The need for belonging to a group and having love is next, followed by the need for respect and esteem from others. At the very top of the needs pyramid, he lists sell-actualization, which means reaching your full potential and being all that you can be.
This theory seems to work for western cultures but not necessarily for others. While the needs may all be the same, the level at which these needs are placed may be different We can use Hofstede’s cultural dimensions to see the variations. The Western cultures that Maslow’s hierarchy applies to would be of low context and high individualism, like the U.S. Since we are of high individualism, it would make sense that we would place self-actualization and esteem from others at the top of the list.
Japan ranks very high on the uncertainty avoidance index and would therefore place safety and security higher up than the U.S. Same goes for those in underdeveloped or war-torn countries. They can also be classified as less individualistic and more collectivistic. They would not have self-actualization as their top need, rather they would place hard work and a stable job over leisure activities.
On the other hand, Sweden and Denmark have a higher indulgence index than that of the U.S. This would place a lot of emphasis on quality of life and leisure time and building a career would take a back burner to fulfilling social needs.
https://www.hofstede-insights.com/country-comparison/japan/
https://successacrosscultures.com/2019/04/19/how-does-maslows-hierarchy-of-needs-stack-up-across-cultures/
Christian
Maslow’s Need Hierarchy is made of up five levels: physiological needs, safety needs, social needs, esteem needs, & self-actualization needs. Thinking on what I know and what I have learned from our text I would think of India as a country that does not function in this specific hierarchy order. There are large numbers of people in India who live in poverty without food, shelter, or water yet there are able to accomplish love and belonging. Our book tells us that Asian cultures do not function under western theory either. It states that Nevis suggested that a Chinese hierarchy of needs only has four levels: belonging (social) needs, psychological needs, safety needs, and self-actualization (in the service of society) needs. The Chinese put their social needs at the first level of hierarchy, telling me that this is much more important than our western physiological needs. Thinking on my own culture and the fact that my relatives came from Mexico I cannot help but think that our social needs supersede physiological needs. Something that has always been said in family is “We may not have much but at least we have each other.” Knowing that I have my parents and four brother there to have my back brings me much more peace and comfort than the thought of food. That support system and sense of belonging has always filled a need much greater than that of food, water, or shelter. I know that if I have my family (that social belonging) than everything else will work itself out.
I think needs vary amongst different countries because culturally we value different things. In western civilization people have taken solace in knowing they have a roof over their head, food in their belly’s, and water in their cups. While in other countries belonging to a group is more important than knowing where their next meal is coming from. Same goes for my Latin roots, family is everything! Knowing that we are there for each other is one of the greatest feelings I could ever have. Family holds much more value to us than power and status or water and shelter. My family is my shelter.