C. Northcote Parkinson's Parkinson's Law: A modern-day interpretation of a management classic

Leo Gough

Jun 2011 · Infinite Ideas

About this ebook

Clever, amusing and revealing, Parkinson’s Law is as relevant now as it was on its release in 1958. Basing his observations on the premise that ‘work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion’ Parkinson explored the realities of human behaviour within a bureaucracy. He didn’t theorise, but instead wrote wittily about how people really function in organisations. In C. Northcote Parkinson’s Parkinson’s Law Leo Gough illustrates the continued relevance of Parkinson’s insights with contemporary examples and shows how the observations can be applied to businesses of all sizes. Modern readers of Leo Gough’s interpretation of Parkinson’s Law will discover: • Why increasing their sales is not always a good thing; • How to get meetings and committees to work the way they want them to; • Why, like it or not, looking good can make people more successful; • How to cope with toxic bureaucrats; • Why most management theory is a waste of time. This brilliant interpretation of a twentieth-century classic will help managers cut through the management speak, eradicate unnecessary tasks, learn to network properly and negotiate their way through bureaucracies with a light heart and an open mind.

Ratings and reviews

Although dressed up to be Parkinson's law, it is apparently a rehash lacking the original's charm and quality.

About the author

Leo Gough (Oxford) is an experienced investment writer and dedicated private investor. He is the author of 16 books, including Going Offshore, 25 Investment Classics, The Finance Manual for Non-Financial Managers, Trading the World's Markets and Miyamoto Musashi's The Book of Five Rings (also in the Infinite Success series). He has edited a number of financial newsletters and since the late 1990s he has spent much of his time in the Asia/Pacific region, working with banks, such as Citibank, and consultancy firms, such as AT Kearney, and publishers to produce investment books and research for this dynamically expanding area.