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m Changed “incompetence” to “competence” in Putt’s Corollary to correct the meaning—competent individuals are flushed out of lower levels, leading to competence inversion.
 
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{{Short description|Book}}
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{{infobox Book | <!-- See Wikipedia:WikiProject_Books -->
{{primary sources|date=January 2015}}
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{{infobox book | <!-- See Wikipedia:WikiProject_Books -->
| name =''Putt's Law and the Successful Technocrat''
| name =''Putt's Law and the Successful Technocrat''
| title_orig =
| title_orig =
| translator =
| translator =
| image = [[Image:Putt's Law and the Successful Technocrat cover.jpg]]
| image = Putt's Law and the Successful Technocrat cover.jpg
| image_caption =
| caption =
| author = Archibald Putt (pseudonym)
| author = Archibald Putt (pseudonym)
| illustrator = [[Dennis Driscoll]]
| illustrator = Dennis Driscoll
| cover_artist =
| cover_artist =
| country = [[United States]]
| country = United States
| language = English
| language = English
| series =
| series =
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| publisher = [[Wiley-IEEE Press]]
| publisher = [[Wiley-IEEE Press]]
| release_date = 28 April 2006
| release_date = 28 April 2006
| media_type = Print ([[hardcover]])
| media_type = Print ([[hardcover]])
| pages = 171 pages
| pages = 171 pages
| isbn = 0-471-71422-4
| isbn = 0-471-71422-4
| dewey = 658.22
| dewey = 658.22
| congress = HD31 .P855 2006
| congress = HD31 .P855 2006
| oclc = 68710099
| oclc = 68710099
| preceded_by =
| preceded_by =
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}}
}}
'''''Putt's Law and the Successful Technocrat''''' is the title of a 1981 book, credited to the pseudonym '''Archibald Putt'''. It is based upon a series of articles published in [[Research/Development Magazine]] in 1976 and 1977.
'''''Putt's Law and the Successful Technocrat''''' is a book, credited to the [[pseudonym]] Archibald Putt, published in 1981. An updated edition, subtitled ''How to Win in the Information Age'', was published by [[Wiley-IEEE Press]] in 2006. The book is based upon a series of articles published in ''Research/Development Magazine'' in 1976 and 1977.


It proposes Putt's Law and Putt's Corollary<ref>Archibald Putt.&nbsp; ''Putt's Law and the Successful Technocrat: How to Win in the Information Age'',&nbsp; Wiley-IEEE Press (2006), {{ISBN|0-471-71422-4}}. Preface.</ref> which are principles of [[Negative selection (politics)|negative selection]] similar to the [[Dilbert principle]] proposed by [[Scott Adams]] in 1995. Putt's law is sometimes grouped together with the [[Peter principle]], [[Parkinson's Law]] and [[Stephen Potter]]'s [[Gamesmanship]] series as "P-literature".<ref>{{cite journal|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=EIZI3TDTGTsC&q=Putt%27s+Law|author=John Walker|title=Review of ''Putt's Law and the Successful Technocrat''|journal=New Scientist|date=October 1981|page=52}}</ref>
An updated edition, with the added subtitle ''How to Win in the Information Age'', was published by [[Wiley-IEEE Press]] in 2006.


==Putt's Law==
==Putt's Law==
The book discusses the fundamental observation, dubbed '''Putt's Law''':
The book proposes Putt's Law and Putt's [[Corollary]]
:"''Technology is dominated by two types of people:&nbsp; those who understand what they do not manage and those who manage what they do not understand.''"<ref name="putt7">Archibald Putt.&nbsp; ''Putt's Law and the Successful Technocrat: How to Win in the Information Age'',&nbsp; Wiley-IEEE Press (2006), ISBN 0-471-71422-4. page 7.</ref>
* Putt's Law: "''Technology is dominated by two types of people, those who understand what they do not manage and those who manage what they do not understand.''"<ref name="putt7">Archibald Putt.&nbsp; ''Putt's Law and the Successful Technocrat: How to Win in the Information Age'',&nbsp; Wiley-IEEE Press (2006), {{ISBN|0-471-71422-4}}. page 7.</ref>
⚫
* Putt's Corollary: "''Every technical hierarchy, in time, develops a competence inversion.''" with competence being "flushed out of the lower levels" of a technocratic hierarchy, ensuring that technically competent people remain directly in charge of the actual technology while those without technical competence move into management.<ref name="putt7"/>

The book also discussed a number of related laws, particularly "Putt's [[Corollary]]", which is more formally known as the "First Corollary to Putt's Law":

:"''Every technical hierarchy, in time, develops a competence inversion.''"<ref name="putt7"/>

⚫
Putt's Corollary means that "incompetence is flushed out of the lower levels" of a technocratic hierarchy, ensuring that technically competent people remain directly in charge of the actual technology while those without technical competence move into management. There are various other corollaries dealing with the interaction of corporate [[hierarchy]] and [[technocracy]].
The same effect of [[Negative selection (politics)|negative selection]] improving an organization's stability was formulated as [[The Dilbert Principle]] in the 1990s. Putt's complaint about ''The Dilbert Principle'' book by [[Scott Adams]] is that while that book provides useful insights for non-managers, it provided little insight for ambitious employees who aspire to advance into management.<ref>Archibald Putt.&nbsp; ''Putt's Law and the Successful Technocrat: How to Win in the Information Age'',&nbsp; Wiley-IEEE Press (2006), ISBN 0-471-71422-4. Preface.</ref>

The 1981 reviewer of the original book in ''[[New Scientist]]'' grouped Putt's law together with the [[Peter Principle]], [[Parkinson's Law]] and [[Potter's Law]] as "P-literature".<ref>John Walker, review in New Scientist, October 1981, p. 52.[http://books.google.com/books?id=EIZI3TDTGTsC&dq=%22Putt%27s+Law+and+the+Successful+Technocrat%22+1981&q=Putt%27s+Law#v=snippet&q=Putt%27s%20Law&f=false]</ref>

==Identity of Archibald Putt==

Before the 2006 updated book on Putt's Law was released, there was speculation that Archibald Putt would reveal his true identity. In an audio interview with [[IEEE]] in 2006, the author discussed why he continues to use a pseudonym.<ref>2006. IEEE Spectrum Radio. April 1. http://itc.conversationsnetwork.org/shows/detail1698.html </ref> In that audio interview, his voice was disguised to more completely assure his continued anonymity.

Archibald Putt is only identified on the book's cover as a man whose contributions to science, engineering, and research/development management are well known. He is further identified as someone who has served on government advisory committees and held executive positions in an unidentified large multinational corporation. The book states that he holds a PhD degree from a leading institute of technology.

==See also==
*[[Dilbert Principle]]
*[[Peter Principle]]


==References==
==References==
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==External links==
==External links==
*[http://spectrum.ieee.org/geek-life/profiles/archibald-putt-the-unknown-technocrat-returns Archibald Putt: The Unknown Technocrat Returns] (spectrum.ieee.org)
* [https://spectrum.ieee.org/archibald-putt-the-unknown-technocrat-returns Archibald Putt: The Unknown Technocrat Returns] (spectrum.ieee.org)


[[Category:1981 books]]
[[Category:1981 non-fiction books]]
[[Category:2006 books]]
[[Category:2006 non-fiction books]]
[[Category:Satirical books]]
[[Category:Satirical books]]
[[Category:Politics and technology]]
[[Category:Politics and technology]]
[[Category:Works published under a pseudonym]]
[[Category:Works published under a pseudonym]]
[[Category:Management]]
[[Category:Management books]]


{{management-book-stub}}

Latest revision as of 19:30, 16 September 2024

Putt's Law and the Successful Technocrat
AuthorArchibald Putt (pseudonym)
IllustratorDennis Driscoll
LanguageEnglish
GenreIndustrial Management
PublisherWiley-IEEE Press
Publication date
28 April 2006
Publication placeUnited States
Media typePrint (hardcover)
Pages171 pages
ISBN0-471-71422-4
OCLC68710099
658.22
LC ClassHD31 .P855 2006

Putt's Law and the Successful Technocrat is a book, credited to the pseudonym Archibald Putt, published in 1981. An updated edition, subtitled How to Win in the Information Age, was published by Wiley-IEEE Press in 2006. The book is based upon a series of articles published in Research/Development Magazine in 1976 and 1977.

It proposes Putt's Law and Putt's Corollary[1] which are principles of negative selection similar to the Dilbert principle proposed by Scott Adams in 1995. Putt's law is sometimes grouped together with the Peter principle, Parkinson's Law and Stephen Potter's Gamesmanship series as "P-literature".[2]

Putt's Law

[edit]

The book proposes Putt's Law and Putt's Corollary

  • Putt's Law: "Technology is dominated by two types of people, those who understand what they do not manage and those who manage what they do not understand."[3]
  • Putt's Corollary: "Every technical hierarchy, in time, develops a competence inversion." with competence being "flushed out of the lower levels" of a technocratic hierarchy, ensuring that technically competent people remain directly in charge of the actual technology while those without technical competence move into management.[3]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Archibald Putt.  Putt's Law and the Successful Technocrat: How to Win in the Information Age,  Wiley-IEEE Press (2006), ISBN 0-471-71422-4. Preface.
  2. ^ John Walker (October 1981). "Review of Putt's Law and the Successful Technocrat". New Scientist: 52.
  3. ^ a b Archibald Putt.  Putt's Law and the Successful Technocrat: How to Win in the Information Age,  Wiley-IEEE Press (2006), ISBN 0-471-71422-4. page 7.
[edit]


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