Article
A New Model of Human Needs as the Foundation for Innovation Management
2016 Portland International Conference on Management of Engineering and Technology (PICMET)
(2016)
Abstract
Defined as an idea implemented with impact, innovation can be viewed as a process involving the synergistic investments of time, money, effort, and other resources by the key participants: the creator, the core team, the supporter, and the adopter of a new idea, product, or service. A basic requirement for creating synergy in this investment perspective of innovation process is for all participants to perceive sufficient values in their respective investments. Since human needs are the motivators of human behavior and values are generated by fulfillment of these needs, understanding of human needs provides the foundation for effective innovation management by developing motivations for the key participants to perceive sufficient values for their investments in the innovation process. The traditional Maslowian model of human needs, although widely known, is not very applicable in forging this synergy because of its impractical hierarchical structure. This paper presents a new model with applications by classifying human needs into two interactive dimensions: the dimension of physiological vs. psychological needs and the dimension of safety/security vs. stimulation/growth needs. This new classification provides a basis for effective innovation management by pinpointing the specific needs that can be used to motivating participation and forging synergy in the investments by key participants in the innovation process. Moreover, it can be extended to the classifications of organizational and societal needs to provide the bases for strategies for technology investments, and used to develop effective motivators for all key participants to perceive sufficient value in their respective investments in the innovation process.
Keywords
- Technology management,
- Technological innovation,
- human factors,
- innovation management,
- human needs,
- human behavior,
- motivation,
- Maslowian model,
- psychological needs,
- safety,
- security,
- stimulation,
- growth needs,
- technology investments
Disciplines
Publication Date
September, 2016
DOI
10.1109/PICMET.2016.7806632
Publisher Statement
September 4-8, 2016
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Citation Information
Oliver S. Yu. "A New Model of Human Needs as the Foundation for Innovation Management" 2016 Portland International Conference on Management of Engineering and Technology (PICMET) (2016) Available at: http://works.bepress.com/oliver_yu/49/