Peter Principle
- “what is the peter principle”
- “why are managers bad”
- “peter principle explained”
- “is the peter principle true”
01 · Side by side
Side by side
Comparison sheet
| Aspect | Peter principle | Parkinson's law |
|---|---|---|
| Explains | Competence decline | Headcount growth |
| Published | 1969 | 1955 |
| Intended as | Satire | Satire |
| Empirically tested | Yes | Partly |
02 · Which one you meant
Which one did you mean?
In shortReaders who land here meaning Peter Principle rather than Parkinson's law are usually searching for phrases like “what is the peter principle”, “why are managers bad”, “peter principle explained”.
Parkinson's Law
- “what is parkinsons law”
- “does work expand to fill time”
- “parkinsons law explained”
- “how to use parkinsons law”
03 · Which came first
Which came first
In shortParkinson's law. 19 November 1955 — The satirical essay appears in The Economist, following a Royal Commission report on the civil service.
- 19 November 1955
Parkinson's Law. The satirical essay appears in The Economist, following a Royal Commission report on the civil service.
- 1969
Peter Principle. Laurence J. Peter and Raymond Hull publish The Peter Principle. They intended it as satire.
04 · Read either one