How to Understand Parkinson's Law

In the previous article, I introduce to you a Murphy's Law, where I continue to tell you the twentieth century with the Murphy's Law and said the three found in Western culture to another law Parkinson's Law (Parkinson's Law). Parkinson's law can also be known as the "official" disease, "organization paralysis disease" or "large enterprises disease." It is by the British historians, political scientists 西里尔诺斯古德 Parkinson (Cyril Northcote Parkinson), published in 1958, "Parkinson's Law," a book made. Parkinson concluded: In the administration, the administration will continue to increase as the pyramids, the executive staff will continue to expand, and everyone is very busy, but more and more low organizational efficiency. This Law is also known as "pyramid up" phenomenon.

Parkinson described the agency personnel expansion of the causes and consequences: an incompetent official, there may be three ways. The first is for his resignation, the seat vacate competent person; the second is for a competent person to assist in their work; third appointment of two levels lower than they were when the assistant. This first way is absolutely Zou Bude, that amounts to suicide; The second way can not go, because that would be capable of their opponents; seems that only a third way the most suitable. Thus, two mediocre assistant shared his work, his own high above orders. Neither can the two assistants, also calling the shots, then found himself two incompetent assistants. And so on, to form a body bloated, overstaffed, and mutual wrangling, inefficient leadership system. Moreover, this Law is not only appear in official circles, can be seen in many organizations such as Parkinson's phenomenon.

To play a role in Parkinson's law, must meet the following four conditions are indispensable:

First, there must be an organization in which management holds the organization in a certain position.

Second, the search assistant for their own purposes incompetent managers themselves do not have the monopoly on power.

Third, the ability to very mediocre managers, the role he played in the organization is not competent.

Fourth, the organization must be a continuous self require excellent organization.

Shows that Parkinson's Law, must have a management function in a constantly in pursuit of perfect organization, charged with and their ability to match the mediocrity of the management role, and do not have a monopoly of power only when the population. On the contrary, a management function is not the organization, such as virtual academic organizations, interest groups and the like, there is no explanation of the terrible chronic disease Parkinson's law. A person who has absolute power, he is not afraid of other people to grab power, do not have to go to the people than his mediocre assistants do. One could assume his management role, there is no need to find an assistant, there was no case of Parkinson's Law. An inert, cling to stereotypes of organizations, unnecessary to introduce new people to add organized, naturally, not Parkinson's law troubles.

So an enterprise or department will have been the course of development from small to large, how to avoid Parkinson's Law concerns? That of course, back in front of the four conditions, as long as these four aspects destroyed, that Parkinson's law of survival of the soil will be lost. The following approach may help to reduce the efficiency of enterprises continued:

First, the establishment of learning organizations. When an organization's members are good at learning and progressive time in order to ensure that managers can continue to meet the needs of management positions. Rapid social and economic development, new situations, new technologies, new knowledge, new problems emerge, only managers continue to learn and progress can meet the management needs.

Second, recruitment of staff to be fair and open and transparent. Establish a comprehensive recruitment mechanism can not Rang been recruited staff's direct superior handle and recruitment and a higher-level managers should be allowed to participate in coming, thus avoiding employing persons for their private ends Ren Yong Neng Li Bi low staff .

Third, a personnel training system. Within the organization to establish a positive system of personnel training or reserve. For a certain level of management, re-assessment of their performance in training subordinates to join the index. Managers must have an annual transport to the upper management personnel of the index, have found that training talents task. This can prevent the ability of managers appointed only lower than their own people.

Fourth, the quantitative allocation and personnel costs on the labor rate of assessment. Labor distribution rate = labor cost / output value added, reflects the new value-creating business share allocation to employees. Rate = labor cost of personnel costs / sales revenue, reflecting the total labor input to achieve the ratio of total output value. Departments or organizations on a regular basis these two important indicators of the assessment, to maintain a reasonable range. These two indicators over time, sustained growth, it means that the law had a role in Parkinson's.

The top four just start a discussion, I believe, in practice, some with more and better ways to overcome the "big company disease", these methods must have is in your hands.