How can a manager know what motivates people in a specific country? Certainly, by drawing on the experiences of others who have worked there; also, by inferring the likely type of motivational structure present by studying what is known about the culture in that region. In addition, some research and comparative studies about needs in specific countries are available and can provide another piece of the puzzle.
Some researchers have used Maslow's hierarchy of needs to study motivation in other countries. A classic study by Haire, Ghiselli, and Porter surveyed 3641 managers in 14 countries. They concluded that Maslow's needs, in particular the upper-level ones, are important at the managerial level, although the managers reported that the degree to which their needs were fulfilled did not live up to their expectations.11
In a similar study, Ronen investigated whether work-related values and needs are similar across nationalities and whether the motivation categories of Maslow and Herzberg apply universally. Studying trained, nonmanagerial male employees (in Germany, Canada, France, Japan, and the United Kingdom), he found that such similarities do exist and that there are common clusters of needs and goals across nationalities. These clusters include (1. job goals, such as working area, work time, physical working conditions, fringe benefits, and job security; (2. relationships with coworkers and supervisors; and (3. work challenges and opportunities for using skills.12 Ronen concludes that need clusters are constant across nationalities and that Maslow's need hierarchy is confirmed by those clusters. In addition, he claims that I-Ierzberg's categories are confirmed by the cross-national need clusters in his study. One clear conclusion is that managers around the world have similar needs but show differing levels of satisfaction of those needs derived from their jobs. Variables other than culture may be at play, however. One of these may be the country's stage of economic development. In the transitioning economy in Russia, for example, it was found in a study by Elenkov that Russian managers stress security and belongingness needs as opposed to higher-order needs.13 Whatever the reason, many companies that have started operations in other countries have experienced differences in the apparent needs of the local employees and how they expect work to be recognized. Mazda, of Japan, experienced this problem in its Michigan plant. Japanese firms tend to confer recognition in the form of plaques, attention, and applause. Hence Japanese workers are likely to be insulted by material incentives because such rewards imply that they would work harder to achieve them than they otherwise would. Instead, Japanese firms focus on group- wide or companywide goals, compared with the American emphasis on individual goals, achievement, and reward.
When considering the cross-cultural applicability of Maslow's theory, then, it is not the needs that are in question as much as the ordering of those needs in the hierarchy The hierarchy reflects the Western culture where Maslow conducted his study, and different hierarchies might better reflect other cultures. For example, Eastern cultures focus on the needs of society rather than on those of individuals. Nevis proposes that a hierarchy more accurately reflecting the needs of the Chinese would comprise four levels: (1. belonging, (2. physiological needs, (3. safety, and (4. self-actualization in the service of society. It is difficult to observe or measure the individual needs of a Chinese person because, from childhood, these are intermeshed with the needs of society. Clearly, however, along with culture, the political beliefs at work in China dominate many facets of motivation. As the backbone of the industrial system, cadres (managers and technicians) and workers are given exact and detailed prescriptions of what is expected of them as members of a factory, workshop, or work unit; this results in conformity at the expense of creativity. Workers are accountable to their group, which is a powerful motivator. Because being “unemployed” is not an option in China, it is important for employees to maintain themselves as cooperating members of the work group. Money is also a motivator, stemming from the historical political insecurity and economic disasters which have perpetuated the need for a high level of savings.16 A Gallup opinion poll cited in the 1998 World Competitiveness Yearbook, found that a priority among Chinese is to “work hard and get rich,” compared to Europeans and Americans who value self-achievement over wealth.
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