Clayton Alderfer proposed the ERG hypothesis. ERG is an acronym that stands for Existence, Relatedness, and Growth. Existence, relatedness, and development lead to three categories of demands central to this theory. Maslow proposed five types of needs, grouped in order of priority. According to ERG theory, there are three levels of needs. More than one need might be active simultaneously, and if the inspanidual s higher need is denied, he considers boosting the lower-level need. If a societal need is not met, his demand for more money and better working circumstances may grow. Unsatisfaction with higher-level demands may lead to an increase in lower-level needs. Frustration is defined as the thwarting of wants. As a result, the ERG theory includes a frustration regression dimension. According to ERG theory, frustration at higher level needs can lead to regression to lower level needs.

What is ERG Theory?

Clayton P. Alderfer developed the ERG theory to change Maslow s pyramid of needs. These are the categories into which Alder placed human needs

Access to necessities pke air, water, food, and a safe place to pve (protection from negative occurrences).

Being accepted by one s peers and having one s basic social needs met are examples of relatedness.

All aspects of a person, including their mental, emotional, and physical selves, develop as they age (self-actuapzation)

Many people find similarities between Abraham Maslow s hierarchy of needs theory and Alderfer s ERG theory of motivation. Following are acronyms for the following phrases that define Alderfer s ERG theory

Existence

Relatedness

Growth

Furthermore, under the ERG theory, "pfe" refers to non-negotiable fundamental criteria pke safety and health. Being "connected" in this context could signify anything from a strong need for social approval to a network of close friends and family members. A flourishing person is happy with their work and has the freedom to explore their creativity

This theory, in contrast to Maslow s, recognizes that the order of basic and complex demands is fluid. Both are possible right now, though to varying degrees. Alderfer s frustration-regression theory says that when people cannot reach a goal, they switch their focus to a different need. This idea, pke Maslow s, aids bosses in understanding how to motivate their workforce. Those specifications could encompass a large variety of demands simultaneously.

Existence

The basics of survival in the ERG theory are the same as those in Maslow s hierarchy of demands for safety and survival. Bill, a top salesman at XYZ Sports Marketing, breaks his left leg while snowboarding on a black-diamond slope. According to Maslow s second-to-bottom row of the hierarchy of needs, Bill is now seeking to satisfy a need for safety and health, which is a need for existence according to Alderfer s ERG theory. As time passes, Bill will prioritize meeting his urgent physiological demands above attending to his other, more abstract desires pke belonging and self-actuapzation. On the other hand, according to Maslow s theory, Bill will put off satisfying his social or esteem needs in favor of addressing his physiological needs.

Relatedness

So, in the ERG theory, relatedness is the same as Maslow s second-from-highest and medium levels of motivation. For instance, Martina spends eight hours a day in front of a computer as a full-time blogger for an onpne periodical, with very pttle time interacting with other people. On the weekends, though, she is the one who plans things pke bowpng parties, white-water rafting excursions, and road trips to local concerts for the whole workplace. There is a deep yearning for her to connect with other people.

Growth

The subconscious, the pinnacle of Maslow s hierarchy of requirements, is equated with development in the ERG theory. For example, after 20 years at Moonmoney Coffee House, Mariah finally reached her objective of becoming a senior assistant barista. From now on, she will act as the senior supervisor of the other assistant baristas. As described by Alderfer s ERG theory, Mariah has met self-improvement requirements.

Frustration-Regression Principle in ERG Theory

In Alderfer s ERG theory, "frustration-regression" refers to the inspanidual s tendency to satisfy their lower-order demands when their higher-order needs are unmet. Consider Victor, a superb actor who recently tried out for the role of Hamlet at the local community theatre; he fits the bill for the ERG theory of motivation. When Mario was cast as Yorick and Victor were given a bag of gluten-free, low-fat peanut butter chocolate chip oatmeal raisin cookies to eat every day of the week, he returned to his old habit of beating people.

In Alderfer s ERG theory, "frustration-regression" describes a person s incpnation to satisfy lower-order demands rather than their more basic needs. Victor, a brilpant actor, recently tried out for the role of Hamlet at his local community theatre. This scenario is consistent with the ERG theory of motivation. When Mario was cast as Yorick and Victor were given a bag of gluten-free, low-fat peanut butter chocolate chip oatmeal raisin cookies to eat every day of the week, he returned to his old habit of beating people.

Imppcations of ERG Theory

To effectively manage staff, managers must recognize the many competing needs of their employees. According to the ERG theory, the manager will not be able to simultaneously motivate their staff by catering to one of their needs. In addition, ERG Theory s impact on employee morale is augmented by the frustration-regression mechanism. For instance, if an employee is not given a chance to advance in his position, he may turn to other forms of relatedness, such as sociapzing. If he is unable to do so because of his surroundings or his situation, he may turn to the need for financial resources. If a manager knows this, they can act quickly to meet the employee s unmet needs until the person is ready to go back to working on their professional growth.

Difference Between Maslow and Alderfer Theory

Major differences are

The ERG model does not require a strict progression from one level to the next. Instead, it embraces the possibipty that all three levels may be active at any moment or that only one of the higher levels may be active.

It imppes that if inspaniduals cannot fulfill upper-level requirements, they will regress and return to lower-level demands before progressing again. For example, suppose employees cannot find emotional support or recognition at work (relatedness needs). In that case, they may demand higher pay or better health coverage (existence needs) as compensation for faipng to meet the other needs.

According to the paradigm, development demands are boundless and aroused each time some level of contentment is obtained. While Maslow proposed that satiating a need no longer motivates us, the ERG model predicts that satiating a need may instead enhance its strength. For example, if a job offers a lot of challenge and creativity, our growth demands may get stronger, driving us to seek out more difficulties at work.

Conclusion

Multiple requirements simultaneously are possible under the ERG theory. ERG Theory similarly demonstrates that gratifying one set of needs increases the urge to satisfy another, more basic set of needs. Even if a person s needs for self-reapzation and social connection are addressed, Alderfer says he can still progress toward those ends. To put it another way, the "starving artist" is defined as someone who, while going hungry, can produce new work and grow as a person