Communications and Media Management

Human Relations Theory vs . Human Resource Development

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Date of Submission Human Relations Theory vs . Human Resource Development

Underlying the organizational leadership model is a set of assumptions about basic human needs or giving the spotlight to the people side of organization . The people side of organizations came into its own in the 1930s , predominately as a result of the Hawthorne studies . These studies led to a new emphasis on the human factor in organizations and increased paternalism by management . In the late 1950s , managers ' attention

was caught by the ideas of people like Abraham Maslow and Douglas McGregor who proposed that organization structures and management practices had to be altered so as to bring out the full productive potential of the employees (Goleman , 2001

Abraham Maslow 's framework for studying human needs is especially prototypical to human resources that are aware of its implications in organizations since fulfillment of basic needs is fundamental to the motivation of human beings . Maslow believes that basic needs are arranged in a hierarchy according to their strength (Goleman , 2001

The physiological needs are at the top of the hierarchy because they tend to have the highest strength until satisfied . These are the needs that must be met to sustain human life , for food and water , clothing and shelter (Rue , et al , 2004

As soon as the physiological needs are satisfied , which varies from person to person , the next level of needs , security , becomes predominant . This need represents man 's desire to be free from danger in the present and in the future , or the need for self-preservation (Rue et al , 2004

As these two groups of needs become satisfied , affiliation or acceptance becomes the dominant need in the hierarchy . This need represents the need of human beings to belong , to be accepted , to be liked , and to be respected by their friends (Rue , et al , 2004

Perhaps the next level of needs , esteem or recognition , explains why some Hawthorne studies became rate busters . It may be that after individuals achieve acceptance from their peers they feel the need to excel in the group to gain the esteem of their fellows (Rue , et al 2004

Self-actualization , the last need in Maslow 's hierarchy , is the most difficult need to satisfy . Self-actualized personas have achieved their potential that is , they have realized their full capability . Managers who enjoy managing satisfy this need by managing (Rue , et al , 2004

With the most difficult need in mind , the attitudes of managers , as organizational leaders , toward their people are of primary importance (Goleman , 2001 . The studies carried out by Robert Blake and Jane Mouton , the Michigan academics , and Dorwin Cartwright and Alvin Zander point out that leadership is not just to have a powerful set of management skills but to be able to work well with the subordinates too at the outset

Robert Blake and Jane Mouton of Scientific Methods , Inc . developed a two-dimensional grid analysis of leadership practices that managers can use...