Need theory, also known as Three Needs Theory, proposed by
psychologist David McClelland, is a motivational model that attempts to explain how the
needs for achievement,
power, and affiliation affect the actions of people from a
managerial context. This model was developed in the 1960s soon after
Maslow's hierarchy of needs in the 1940s. McClelland stated that we all have these three types of motivation regardless of age, sex, race, or culture. The type of motivation by which each individual is driven derives from their life experiences and the opinions of their culture. This need theory is often taught in classes concerning
management or organizational behaviour.