'''The Dilbert Principle''' refers to a 1990s satirical observation by companies tend to systematically promote their least-competent employees to management (generally middle management), in order to limit the amount of damage they're capable of doing.

Adams explained the principle in a 1995 Wall Street Journal article. Adams then expanded his study of the Dilbert Principle in a satirical 1996 book of the same name, which is required or recommended reading at some business programs.<ref>http://mot.berkeley.edu/Berkeley_Students/Students/Courses/Course_Descriptions/proj_mgmt_syll.pdf</ref><ref>[http://www.cs.colorado.edu/~hendrixs/classes/readings.html Readings for CSCI 3308 - Software Engineering Methods and Tools<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref><ref>http://www.ume.maine.edu/~pubadmin/kn/words/400syl1.htm</ref><ref>[http://engr.smu.edu/~frailey/cse7315/syllabus.htm Syllabus - SW Project Mgt - CSE5315 - 1998<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref><ref>[http://www.vancouver.wsu.edu/fac/holt/em501/em501.htm EM 501 Management of Organizations<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> In the book, Adams writes that, in terms of effectiveness, use of the Dilbert Principle is akin to a band of gorillas choosing an alpha-squirrel to lead them. The book has sold more than a million copies and was on the ''New York Times'' bestseller list for 43 weeks.

Although academics may reject the principle's veracity, noting that it is at odds with traditional human resources management techniques, it originated as a form of satire that addressed a much-discussed issue in the business world. The theory has since garnered some support from business and management.

The Dilbert Principle is a variation of the Peter Principle. The Peter Principle addresses the practice of hierarchical organizations (such as corporations and government agencies) to use promotions as a way to reward employees who demonstrate competence in their current position. It goes on to state that, due to this practice, a competent employee will eventually be promoted to, and remain at, a position at which he or she is incompetent.  The Dilbert Principle, on the other hand, claims that incompetent employees are intentionally promoted to prevent them from doing harm (such as reducing product quality, offending customers, offending employees, etc.) The Dilbert Principle draws upon the idea that in certain situations, the upper echelons of an organization can have little relevance to the actual production and the majority of real, productive work in a company is done by people lower in the power ladder. It is possible for both Principles to be simultaneously active in a single organization.

== See also ==
* Management
* Peter Principle

Die Bezeichnung „'''Dilbert-Prinzip'''“ rührt von der Scott Adams im Wall Street Journal auf. Adams führte seine Betrachtungen zum Dilbert-Prinzip in einem humorvollen Buch gleichen Titels aus, das in manchen BWL- und MBA-Studienprogrammen zur Pflichtlektüre gehört.

Das Dilbert-Prinzip ist eine Abwandlung des bekannteren Peter-Prinzips von Laurence J. Peter und Raymond Hull. Nach der Theorie des  Peter-Prinzips steigt jeder Beschäftigte bis zu einer Stufe im Unternehmen auf, deren Anforderungen er nicht mehr gewachsen ist. Der Aufstieg erfolgt, weil die Person auf der bisherigen Stufe erfolgreich war. 

Das Dilbert-Prinzip dagegen behauptet, die ineffizientesten Arbeiter würden unverzüglich ins Management versetzt, wo sie den geringsten Schaden anrichten könnten. Dadurch verfügt die Person im Management weder über die notwendigen sozialen Eigenschaften eines Managers, noch über die fachlichen Kenntnisse bezüglich des von ihr gemanagten Bereiches. In dieser tragischen Situation wird der auch von persönlichen Marotten gebeutelte Mensch in seiner Hilflosigkeit ganz zum Medium der übergeordneten Zwänge – dem Markt, dem Kunden, dem Vorgesetzten.

In seinem Buch ''Das Dilbert-Prinzip'' versucht Scott Adams an verschiedenen realen Beispielen nachzuweisen, dass das Dilbert-Prinzip sich immer weiter durchsetzt, obwohl es bestimmt nicht von den einzelnen betroffenen Personen beabsichtigt ist.