Cambridge O Level Business Studies · Syllabus 7115 · People in Business
Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs
What is Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs?
A model of human motivation that groups needs into five levels: physiological, safety, social, esteem and self-actualisation. It proposes that lower-level needs generally have to be reasonably met before higher-level needs influence behaviour, and it is used in business to argue that pay alone will not motivate everyone. It is a model of the range of needs, not a fixed sequence every worker follows; needs differ between individuals and cultures and several levels can matter at once.
This definition is part of the People in Business chapter in Cambridge O Level Business Studies.
Last reviewed Syllabus 2026