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The Peter Principle
by Laurence J. Peter, Raymond Hull
| List Price: | | $22.95 |
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Edition: Hardcover
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About the Author
Before Dr. Laurence Peter's death in 1988, he was a professor of education at the University of Southern California and at the University of British Columbia. Raymond Hull lives in British Columbia.
--This text refers to the Paperback edition.
Book Description
This bestselling business classic of more than twenty-five years' duration is a dead-on account of why boredom, bungling, and bad management are built into every organization. Through hilarious case histories and cartoons adapted from Punch, Dr. Peter shows how America's corporate career track drives employees relentlessly upward -- until they get promoted into jobs they just can't do and wind up desperately treading water, driving their colleagues crazy, and dragging down productivity and profit. --This text refers to the Paperback edition.
All Customer Reviews
Average Customer Review: 
Write an online review and share your thoughts with other customers. 1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
quite humorous and ironic, but realistic, August 20, 2004
I think that most people will view this book with an apprehensive nature. Why? Simply because almost all readers know the basic theme of this work: that people in the business world, not matter what field or area, rise naturally to their own level of incompetence.
I think most would consider their jobs quite productive, especially if they are working in their chosen fields. I cannot imagine that many people work their ways up the chain of command simply to be less productive. (And according to Dr. Peter, denial is one of the symptoms!)
I really enjoyed the book, which is full of humor and irony, but I worry that readers will either not take it seriously or either go to the other extreme and consider the principle to be an all-inclusive unavoidable trap. It does not help that Dr. Peter in his quirky way, offers no real solution to the dilemma.
So I suggest that readers give much thought to the evidence that the book presents (each example does after all make quite a lot of sense). It had me identifying related cases in the jobs I've had.
Finally, The Peter Principle is an easy read, divided by chapters and subdivided by categories with several examples. Quick readers should able to read it thoroughly in around two days, especially if the sarcastic wit holds them.
--This text refers to the Library Binding edition
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the peter principle, June 19, 2004
I read this book in the '70s when it first came out. It says it all!!! NEVER, did I know, how many times I would see this principle be exhibited; from the supreme court justices to the lowliest worker. It's so frightening it me nauseas. This small book is absolutely the most important book ever written.If all people could learn from "the peter principle" and "the road less travelled" and put the knowledge to practice, we would be a 100% different world than we are today. By all intensive purposes, I am a well read person, however, these two texts, make all things learned, viewed with a greater awareness. --This text refers to the Library Binding edition
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2 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
Good until the end, September 16, 2003
I read this book with great enthusiasm, having heard so much about it. And sure enough, the first few chapters were great. But the ending was kind of a letdown. I feel that Dr. Peter built up my expectations and then failed to deliver what I really needed: how to avoid the P.P. --This text refers to the Library Binding edition
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4 of 30 people found the following review helpful:
JD, June 4, 2003
The Peter Principle is an excellent book, if you want to know the secret to FAILURE. Laurence Peter's self-proclaimed principle that "each person rises to their highest level of incompetence" only serves to demonstrate Peter's dislike for people and his own failure in life. It has been said that it takes no more than to read the first chapter of any book to determine whether or not the author likes people, meaning that the author is truly interested in telling a story, sharing facts regarding an issue or teaching a new-found knowledge to the reader. Peter on the other hand, begins assuming that people are inherently failures, and it is only a matter of time and effort before they become that. Peter's self-fulfilling prophesy, eeerrr, theory, is no better demonstrated than in his own book, the Peter Principle. It was the transition to his highest level of incompetence.
I would not recommend this book to anyone who believes in leadership, success, the trail and tribulations on the road to success and the richness and diversity of people and the endurance of the human spirit.
Napoleon Hill wrote in his book: Think and Grow Rich and I will paraphrase: The difference between those who are truly successful and those who are not is this, there are those who fail, fail and fail, then give up; they are the unsuccessful in life. Then there are those who fail, fail and fail, then get up; they are the truly successful. Unfortunately, Peter didn't realize the importance of encouraging people to succeed, instead he chose only to present the scenario that if you've done well, stop at that, you couldn't possibly get any better?!
I suggest to the Amazon.com readers to save their time and money from this book. --This text refers to the Library Binding edition
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