Parkinson’s Law or The Pursuit of Progress by C. Northcote Parkinson (Vintage 1961 Illustrated)

Parkinson’s Law or The Pursuit of Progress is a book written by C. Northcote Parkinson, first published in 1957. The book is a satirical and humorous analysis of bureaucracies, their inefficiencies, and their tendency to grow larger and more complex over time.

The book’s eponymous “Parkinson’s Law” is the principle that work expands to fill the time available for its completion. Parkinson argues that as bureaucracies grow, they create more work for themselves and become less efficient, even though they may appear to be more productive. He also suggests that bureaucracies are inherently self-perpetuating, as they create more and more rules and procedures to justify their existence.

Parkinson’s Law or The Pursuit of Progress is a witty and entertaining read, but it also contains serious insights into the nature of organizations and the challenges they face. The book has been influential in the fields of management and public administration, and has inspired many subsequent studies of organizational behavior and efficiency.