Peter principle Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Peter principle - Research Paper Example o the skills required for a specific position of employment, and this idea was not taken into account in the supposedly common sense beliefs of traditional promotions.While the idea was first proposed with a humorous edge, the true implications of the theory were not that funny. The Peter Principle may expose an inherent flaw in the hierarchical promotion system that is used by many companies. Promotions may come from within a company that operates in an employment hierarchy. When this is the case, we may be tempted to believe that a person has been promoted because they are the best fitting candidate for the tasks associated with the position. However, it is just as likely that the promoted employee was selected for overall competence, rather than for any position-specific qualities. The lack of the required skill-set, as related to a position recently obtained through promotion, to perform a job effectively will consistently produce results that highlight the promoted candidate’s newfound incompetence. However, according to Dr. Peter, these employees would not face a risk of job termination unless they were so incompetent that it basically defines their being. Any level of incompetence below this line would simply fit in with other instances of promotions that are not based on specific skill sets, leaving us with a business that is defined by mediocrity. The Peter Principle has brought concern to many organizations that operate in a hierarchical manner, and as a result there have been studies developed with the goal of counteracting this effect. A 2010 study (Pluchino, Rapisarda, and Garofalo 467) discusses the principle and how its accuracy would indicate a high level of company-wide inefficiency taking place in many organizations. The researchers used a complicated computational model to test the efficiency of several promotional strategies that could be employed within a company’s hierarchy by their resistance to the Peter Principle. The results showed