A comparison of the need importance structure between Saudis and westerners: An exploratory study

Using Porter’s need satisfaction questionnaire, measures and compares the degree of importance that managers and non‐managers from Saudi Arabia and some western countries attach to five categories of need: security, social, self‐esteem, autonomy and self‐actualization. The results indicated that the two groups unanimously attached the highest ranking to self‐actualization. Security needs was ranked second highest. Regarding other needs, Saudis rated social needs as the third most important, followed by self‐esteem, and then by the need for autonomy. Westerners, on the other hand, ranked autonomy as third in importance, followed by social needs and self esteem. Discusses possible explanations for the findings in light of previous research.