In order to better understand what motivates human beings, Maslow proposed that human needs can be organized into a hierarchy.
Maslow organized human needs into a pyramid that includes (from lowest-level to highest-level) physiological, safety, love/belonging, esteem, and self-actualization needs.
Physiological needs - these are biological requirements for human survival, e.g. air, food, drink, shelter, clothing, warmth, sex, sleep.
If these needs are not satisfied the human body cannot function optimally. Maslow considered physiological needs the most important as all the other needs become secondary until these needs are met.
2. Safety needs - once an individual’s physiological needs are satisfied, the needs for security and safety become salient. People want to experience order, predictability and control in their lives. These needs can be fulfilled by the family and society (e.g. police, schools, business and medical care).
For example, emotional security, financial security (e.g. employment, social welfare), law and order, freedom from fear, social stability, property, health and wellbeing (e.g. safety against accidents and injury).
3. Love and belongingness needs - after physiological and safety needs have been fulfilled, the third level of human needs is social and involves feelings of belongingness. Belongingness, refers to a human emotional need for interpersonal relationships, affiliating, connectedness, and being part of a group.
Examples of belongingness needs include friendship, intimacy, trust, and acceptance, receiving and giving affection, and love.
4. Esteem needs are the fourth level in Maslow’s hierarchy and include self-worth, accomplishement and respect. Maslow classified esteem needs into two categories: (i) esteem for oneself (dignity, achievement, mastery, independence) and (ii) the desire for reputation or respect from others (e.g., status, prestige).
Maslow indicated that the need for respect or reputation is most important for children and adolescents and precedes real self-esteem or dignity.
5. Self-actualization needs are the highest level in Maslow's hierarchy, and refer to the realization of a person's potential, self-fulfillment, seeking personal growth and peak experiences. Maslow (1943) describes this level as the desire to accomplish everything that one can, to become the most that one can be.
Individuals may perceive or focus on this need very specifically. For example, one individual may have a strong desire to become an ideal parent. In another, the desire may be expressed economically, academically or athletically. For others, it may be expressed creatively, in paintings, pictures, or inventions.
A stability strategy seeks to remain as long as possible in the maturity phase (or stability) of the company, reaping the fruits of the investments made. A survival strategy seeks to survive in a hostile environment, while retaining its market share.
In general, stability and survival strategies are defensive strategies, that is, strategies that seek to maintain the competitive position achieved by the company. This fact does not mean that the company cannot grow; in fact, on many occasions, to maintain market share growth is necessary (sustainable growth). In other cases, these strategies involve a decrease (organizational downsizing, outsourcing or outsourcing of activities).
These strategies are designed for the level of corporate strategy, although they can also be adopted for competitive or business strategies, as they allow the analysis for each business or activity to which the company is engaged.
A put option is out of the money if the strike price is less than the market price of the underlying security. The holder of an option contract can exercise the option at any time before expiration.
