Das Peter-Prinzip

Highway bridges that collapse during inauguration, moon rockets that fail at launch, managers who ruin their companies, officials who provide false information, doctors who amputate the wrong leg, and much more. Those familiar with the Peter Principle are no longer surprised by anything. In a hierarchy, every employee tends to rise to a level at which they are no longer competent. This was discovered by the scientist Laurence J. Peter. According to the Peter Principle, hierarchical systems stabilize themselves with pseudo-promotions and useless positions, as well as by removing disruptive employees. This includes not only incompetent members but also extremely competent ones who throw a wrench in the works. With numerous anecdotes from administration, business, and bureaucracy, Peter and Hull astutely reveal why many mistakes occur and show how to do better. They provide clues on how to recognize when one has reached the level of incompetence and offer advice on how to prevent promotion to one's own level of incompetence.