1. Discuss these needs with reference to Maslow’s hierarchy of needs.

When Mr.Ram Bansal took over the handbag department at RK & Company New Delhi, he established several important goals for the department.   One was to increase sales without increasing the number of salespeople or the way they were paid.   Unlike some retail supervisors, Mr.Bansal was not in a position to use commissions to reward improved performance.  All his employees were paid a straight wage without commissions and all members of the staff were union led.   He also wanted to improve customer service and employee satisfaction.

This arrangement offered few motivational options and had a negative effect on employee attitudes.   In other departments of the company, customers were often shown a dressing room “cop” who asked how many garments were included and gave them the appropriately colored tag.   The original sales clerk rarely appeared for additional customer service.  Many sales people in the company were painfully aware of the lack of personal commitment to their job and customers.   One employee commented, “There’s a lot of talk about increasing customers.”   Mr.Bansal knew he had to make some changes in order to improve the sales production in the department.

His first step was to give full-time employees their own counter area and their own line of merchandise.   He also increased the responsibility of the sales staff for managing their own inventory and their own line of merchandise.   Any sales person who needed information was encouraged to offer the buying staff suggestions, was encouraged to talk with buyer of handbags.   Previously, the sales staff had felt they were not supposed to talk to buyers.

Every week, Mr.Bansal brings the staff together for a meeting.   At these meetings, he emphasizes the importance of customer service and reviews any change in departmental policies and procedures.   He also encourages employees to discuss problems and ask questions.   These meetings provide Mr.Bansal with an opportunity to publicly recognize the accomplishments of employees.

 1.      Discuss these needs with reference to Maslow’s hierarchy of needs.

Psychologist Abraham Maslow first introduced his concept of a hierarchy of needs in his 1943 paper "A Theory of Human Motivation"1 and his subsequent book, Motivation and Personality.2 This hierarchy suggests that people are motivated to fulfill basic needs before moving on to other needs.