Directorate of distance education master of business administration

Three-Need Theory – Salient Features
 ӹ This theory propounded by David McClelland related motivation 
with the three types of needs namely Achievement, Power and 
Affiliation. People score differently in each of these needs. There 
are national differences in the importance given to one type of 
need. For instance, Indians usually have high need for affiliation 
while citizens of western nations are found to be high on the other 
two needs.  
 
ӹ The relationship between achievement need and job performance 
has been well-supported by research. McClelland found that high 
achievers differentiate themselves from others by their desire to 
do things better. High achievers are those who tend to dislike 
succeeding by chance. They prefer the challenge of working at a 
problem and accepting the personal responsibility for success or 
failure, rather than leaving the outcome to chance or action of 
others. They perform best when they perceive that their probability 
of success as being 0.5, that is, when they estimate that they have 
a fifty-fifty chance of success. They dislike gambling when the 
odds are high because they get no achievement satisfaction from 
happenstance success.  Similarly they dislike low odds which have 
high probability of success, because there would be no challenge to 
their skills. 
 
ӹ Individuals of the second type, namely those with high need for 
power enjoy being “in-charge” and striving for influence over 
others. They tend to prefer to be competitive in status-oriented 
situations. Need for power may be further divided into institutional 
powers and personal powers. People seeking personal power like 
to inspire subordinates and expect the latter to respect than obey 
them. Other managers seeking institutional power tend to use 
authority, regulations and other such formal mechanisms and get 

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things done in the interests of the organization. 
 
ӹ Affiliation, the third need identified by McClelland is the desire 
to be liked and accepted by others. Individuals with high need 
for affiliation would constantly tend to strive for friendships, 
prefer cooperative situations rather than competitive ones and 
desire relationships involving a high degree of mutual sensitivity, 
understanding and appreciation.