Advertisement
Advertisement
Peter Principle
noun
- any of several satirical “laws” concerning organizational structure, especially one that holds that people tend to be promoted until they reach their level of incompetence.
Peter Principle
noun
- the Peter Principlethe Peter Principle the theory, usually taken facetiously, that all members in a hierarchy rise to their own level of incompetence
Peter Principle
- A rule of organizations that states, “In a hierarchy, every employee tends to rise to his level of incompetence.” Formulated by Laurence J. Peter, this rule is supposed to explain occupational incompetence.
Discover More
Word History and Origins
Origin of Peter Principle1
From of a book of the same name (1969) by Laurence J. Peter (1919–90), Canadian educator
Discover More
Word History and Origins
Origin of Peter Principle1
C20: from the book The Peter Principle (1969) by Dr. Lawrence J. Peter and Raymond Hull, in which the theory was originally propounded
Advertisement
Word of the Day
[in-vet-er-it ]
Meaning and examplesStart each day with the Word of the Day in your inbox!
By clicking "Sign Up", you are accepting Dictionary.com Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policies.
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Browse