A need is a fundamental human desire that motivates us to act. It is a driving force that propels a person to a goal, whether it be to achieve health, safety or financial security. The need to feel safe, secure and loved is a primary need for humans that can be fulfilled through various strategies such as self-care, spiritual practice or relationship building. The need to be creative can be met by writing, painting, or taking a cooking class. Psychologists use the term need to describe something a person or group needs in order to function. The needs of individuals are referred to as personal or basic while those of groups or communities are called social or economic.
The concept of need is common in the fields of philosophy, biology, psychology, sociology, business and finance. It is a central theme in the Maslow hierarchy of needs. Maslow argued that human needs are fundamental to the well being of an individual or community. The need for food, water and shelter are basic needs and a deficiency of these leads to distress or death.
In business, the concept of need is a common one that can be found in company policies and marketing materials. Generally, these policies outline the criteria for employment and promotions as well as requirements for employees to meet certain performance levels. In addition, some businesses define the need for certain goods or services as a critical issue. This can be a challenge to meet because the need often requires more money than the business has available to fulfill it.
For example, a company might set a performance level for sales representatives that includes a specific number of new clients to be contacted within a certain period. If the representative fails to meet this requirement, they may be dismissed. A need to perform may also be a motivating factor in an employee’s decision to participate in volunteer programs and other community activities.
Another important aspect of the concept of need is article usage. The articles a, an and the indicate when a noun is specific or general in reference. Using articles correctly in written and spoken communication makes the information clearer for the reader/listener and demonstrates fluency.
There are some nouns that do not need an article at all. These include general ideas, sports, languages, meals and names of people. The article some is used for plural, countable nouns that are not specific or for parts of uncountable nouns that are not specific.
Finally, the article definite is reserved for nouns that are already established or known. This includes things that have been described previously, such as a man at the zoo or a new computer. In most cases, the definite article will not be used if there is doubt as to whether a noun is known or not. For this reason, it is essential to avoid ambiguity when speaking and writing. To learn more about articles, visit this page on the University of Toronto’s website.