An Empirical Investigation Of Employee Need Expression During A Crisis Situation

Author

Wade Raymond Helm

Publication Date

8-1-1967

Abstract

The purpose of this research project was to test the effects of a crisis situation upon employee need expression. Two hypotheses were tested. The first stated that a group of employees experiencing a crisis would have needs lower in the need-structure, as theorized by Abraham Maslow, than would a group of employees not in a crisis situation. The second hypothesis stated that the group of employees in crisis would exhibit depressed future expectations as compared to the group of noncrisis employees. Ninety-nine employees were used as subjects. Fifty-four were in the experimental group. Forty-five were in the control group. The crisis situation for the experimental group was defined as the imminent prospect of loss of steady employment. All subjects were tested on the Cantril Self-Anchoring Striving Scale. Neither hypotheses were supported. It was con­cluded that without further research into the area of job importance to the employee, the testing of Maslow's theory in this particular situation could not be accurately conducted. It was further concluded that in the complex nature of the need-structure employment reveals itself as being multipurpose which means employment ban be a means to many goals in the hierarchial structure. Thus, with this uncontrolled variable it was difficult to ascertain the exact degree of crisis in this situation.

Language

English

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Business Administration (MBA)

Level of Degree

Masters

Department Name

Anderson School of Management

First Committee Member

Everett C. Dillman

Second Committee Member

Kenneth W. Olm

Third Committee Member

Frank Parker Fowler Jr.

Recommended Citation

Helm, Wade Raymond. "An Empirical Investigation Of Employee Need Expression During A Crisis Situation." (1967). https://digitalrepository.unm.edu/anderson_etds/52