In this essay I will try to answer the following two questions: 1) Explain in detail one of the theories of motivation and evaluate its value in the current business context 2) Explain one of the contingency theories of leadership .1) The only theory of motivation that I will explain in the first question is Abraham Maslow's hierarchy of needs; some might also call it his content theory of motivation. The theory was based on nine needs that Maslow discovered through research that influenced people's motivation at work. The nine different needs are listed below.1) Biological needs: are basic needs for the survival of human life, for example the need for food, water, rest and oxygen.2) Safety needs: are needs for the worker to feel protected within the organization. To feel safe and comfortable in the workplace 3) Affiliation needs: These are the needs of workers to feel associated with the organization. It is a feeling of belonging, almost like a relationship with work.4) Esteem needs: that the worker feels strength, fulfillment, recognition and appreciation. They want to be respected by the other employees they work with, they want to be appreciated. They want to feel like they're progressing in the workplace, like they're working towards a goal. 5) The need to know and understand: the need for the employee to understand the job and gain deeper knowledge about it. 6) Aesthetic needs: structure and attractiveness 7) Need for transcendence: this need is usually described as "cosmic identification" 8) Need for freedom and expression 9) Needs for self-realization: to progress and develop our potential to the maximum Maslow broke the needs into a hierarchical structure arranging them in order from... at the center of the sheet... down to its subordinates. A task-oriented manager ignores subordinates' resistance, combats uncertainty in the workplace, and achieves good results. Many see flaws in Fiedler's theory because they believe it does not take into account the feelings and needs of subordinates in the group. It also discounts the technical expertise that the leader must possess to be successful. Some also believe that the LPC (Least Preferred Co-worker) process is very negatively worded and this can be very difficult to measure. However, despite these flaws, there are some strengths to take away from the theory, firstly it confirms the importance of identifying contextual factors in deciding leader behavior. It also provides managers with a process to help them identify their leadership style so they can develop or correct it if necessary.