C. Northcote Parkinson Quotes

A collection of quotes by C. Northcote Parkinson.

C. Northcote Parkinson (1909-1993) was a British naval historian, author, and academic. He is best known for his satirical work, "Parkinson's Law," which humorously discusses bureaucratic inefficiencies and the tendency for work to expand to fill the time available. Parkinson's Law became a popular concept in the field of management and administration. Parkinson wrote several books on naval history and worked as a lecturer and professor at various universities. His wit and insights continue to influence our understanding of human behavior in organizations.

Expansion means complexity and complexity decay.

Expansion means complexity and complexity decay.

C. Northcote Parkinson


The Law of Triviality... briefly stated, it means that the t

The Law of Triviality... briefly stated, it means that the time spent on any item of the agenda will be in inverse proportion to the sum involved.

C. Northcote Parkinson


Where life is colorful and varied, religion can be austere o

Where life is colorful and varied, religion can be austere or unimportant. Where life is appallingly monotonous, religion must be emotional, dramatic and intense. Without the curry, boiled rice can be very dull.

C. Northcote Parkinson

Life Religion

Men enter local politics solely as a result of being unhappi

Men enter local politics solely as a result of being unhappily married.

C. Northcote Parkinson

Politics

Work expands so as to fill the time available for its comple

Work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion.

C. Northcote Parkinson

Work

Work expands so as to fill the time available for its comple

Work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion. General recognition of this fact is shown in the proverbial phrase It is the busiest man who has time to spare.

C. Northcote Parkinson

Work

Expenditures rise to meet income.

Expenditures rise to meet income.

C. Northcote Parkinson

Value

Delay is the deadliest form of denial.

Delay is the deadliest form of denial.

C. Northcote Parkinson

Procrastination

The chief product of an automated society is a widespread an

The chief product of an automated society is a widespread and deepening sense of boredom.

C. Northcote Parkinson

Society

A committee is organic rather than mechanical in its nature:

A committee is organic rather than mechanical in its nature: it is not a structure but a plant. It takes root and grows, it flowers, wilts, and dies, scattering the seed from which other committees will bloom in their turn.

C. Northcote Parkinson

Nature