Parkinson's Law in Project Management
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The importance of Parkinson’s Law lies in the fact that it is a law of growth based upon an analysis of the factors by which that growth is controlled. | The importance of Parkinson’s Law lies in the fact that it is a law of growth based upon an analysis of the factors by which that growth is controlled. | ||
| − | == | + | the factors that underlie the general tendency to which this law gives definition |
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| + | actor I.—An official wants to multiply subordinates, not rivals; and | ||
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| + | Factor II.—Officials make work for each other. | ||
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| + | The Law of Multiplication of Subordinates | ||
| + | A person, A, feels overworked, therefore A may do three things | ||
| + | (1) Resign | ||
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| + | (2) Ask to halve the work with a colleague called B. | ||
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| + | (3) Demand the assistance of two subordinates, to be called C and D. | ||
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| + | most likely choose the third alternative. (1) would lose his pension rights | ||
| + | (2) bring in a rival when looking for a promotion, same level in the hierarchy | ||
| + | A would rather have two men below him - divide the work between them and be the only one able to comprehend the whole | ||
| + | C and D are inseperable, both fear the other is promoted, and so more pairs of assistants can be appointed to b and c | ||
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| + | the law of multiplication of work | ||
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| + | == Theory == | ||
== Application == | == Application == | ||
Revision as of 14:45, 13 February 2021
Parkinson's Law is the propensity that work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion ... by C. Northcote Parkinson in an essay 1955
"commonplace observation that work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion"
Politicians and taxpayers have assumed (with occasional phases of doubt) that a rising total in the number of civil servants must reflect a growing volume of work to be done. Cynics, in questioning this belief, have imagined that the multiplication of officials must have left some of them idle or all of them able to work for shorter hours. But this is a matter in which faith and doubt seem equally misplaced.
People working and amount of work is not related to each other
The importance of Parkinson’s Law lies in the fact that it is a law of growth based upon an analysis of the factors by which that growth is controlled.
the factors that underlie the general tendency to which this law gives definition
actor I.—An official wants to multiply subordinates, not rivals; and
Factor II.—Officials make work for each other.
The Law of Multiplication of Subordinates A person, A, feels overworked, therefore A may do three things (1) Resign
(2) Ask to halve the work with a colleague called B.
(3) Demand the assistance of two subordinates, to be called C and D.
most likely choose the third alternative. (1) would lose his pension rights (2) bring in a rival when looking for a promotion, same level in the hierarchy A would rather have two men below him - divide the work between them and be the only one able to comprehend the whole C and D are inseperable, both fear the other is promoted, and so more pairs of assistants can be appointed to b and c
the law of multiplication of work
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