The Applicability of Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs Model to Saudi Organisations

One of the most influential and often quoted content theories of human motivation is Abraham Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. Maslow’s theory is based on an assumption that all humans are motivated by a hierarchy of needs that are fundamental and universal. While many studies have attested to the wide relevance and applicability of this model, some other legitimate studies have argued that the theory is limited in terms of its universal applicability because of its Anglo-Saxon monoculture orientation.

In view of these differing points of view, this thesis investigates and tests the extent to which Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs model is applicable or relevant to a Saudi organisational context. The empirical study was undertaken at two Saudia Arabian universities. One of the universities has a devout religious orientation while the other is, relatively, moderately religious in its outlook. The research utilised Porter’s Needs Satisfaction Questionnaire to collect the data. The data then underwent a quantitative (e.g. Q-Sort) analysis and a qualitative (thematic) analysis, yielding a number of findings related to the research questions and objectives.

The findings suggest that Maslow’s theory of motivation is not universally applicable.

The research generates a hierarchy of needs that is not the same as that proposed by Maslow’s theory. Furthermore, the findings reveal differences in the order of these needs across gender and religion. Therefore, this research has generated a new, refined order of motivational drivers in the Saudi organisational context, which reflects contextual influences of gender and religion.