Parkinson's Law and other Studies in Administration

Registered by winghank-chinaskiwing of Bielefeld, Nordrhein-Westfalen Germany on 1/27/2006
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4 journalers for this copy...
Journal Entry 1 by winghank-chinaskiwing from Bielefeld, Nordrhein-Westfalen Germany on Friday, January 27, 2006
I just love this old-fashioned, gentleman-style sort of British humor that modern authors so regrettably have done away with! This book is a joke, of course, but still you cannot help feeling that there's more than just a grain of truth in it. Starting with his famous observation that all work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion, Parkinson explains why administrations keep growing regardless of the amount of work to be done, and then closely examines virtually all important aspects of administration. So if you want to know how to tell the really important people at a cocktail party from the nobodies, why topics involving a medium sum of expenses always consume a maximum of time at meetings, which is the optimum number of cabinet members, why the efficiency of an organization is inversely related to the richness of the architectural features of its buildings, and at which age superior officials should best retire (and what can be made to persuade them), then read this book!

British medical specialists are usually quite content to trace the symptoms and define the cause. It is the French, by contrast, who begin by describing the treatment and discuss the diagnosis later, if at all. We feel bound to adhere in this to the British method, which may not help the patient but which is unquestionably more scientific. To travel hopefully is better than to arrive.

As this is my #1.250 registered book, I'm turning it into a bookray. Join and enjoy!

Note for participants: Everybody please make two journal entries for the book: One on receiving it, and another one when sending it on.

List of participants so far (those who've journalled already are highlighted in red):

Kichererbse01 (Germany)
Astraios (Germany)
Xanthe-pup (UK)
...
...and into the wild.



Journal Entry 2 by winghank-chinaskiwing from Bielefeld, Nordrhein-Westfalen Germany on Thursday, February 2, 2006
The ray's started. Off to Kichererbse01 today, enjoy!

Journal Entry 3 by Kichererbse01 from Hamburg - Hoheluft, Hamburg Germany on Tuesday, February 7, 2006
Das Buch habe ich heute im Briefkasten gefunden und auch schon ein bisschen reingelesen. Sehr schön! Es ist zwar aus den Fünfzigern, aber die tiefen Wahrheiten über die Verwaltung sind heute so aktuell wie damals.
Sozusagen der Großvater von Scott Adams Dilbert :-)

Written by the granddad of Scott Adams' Dilbert ;-)

RELEASE NOTES:

Das Buch reist weiter zu Astraios.
Viel Spaß!

Journal Entry 5 by Astraios from Braunschweig, Niedersachsen Germany on Monday, February 20, 2006
Lag heute im Briefkasten. Wie gut, daß nach mir keiner wartet, denn es wird etwas dauern.

Journal Entry 6 by Xanthe-pup from Cardiff, Wales United Kingdom on Thursday, June 7, 2007
I have had this lovely little book a week or so already- sorry for not journalling sooner. I read it in a day while on my way too and from a rather dull seminar.

My dad told me about this book years ago, and every now and then refers to it with a wry chuckle (or even a belly laugh). He loved it, and so do I! It is very satirical, and I want to make all my managers at work read it so they can take a step back and look at the ludicrous situations we sometimes find ourselves in.

Wonderful - thanks to hank-chinaski for sharing.

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