The term was coined and explained by Scott Adams, the creator of Dilbert, in a 1994 Wall Street Journal article. Adams expanded his study of the Dilbert Principle in a satirical 1996 book of the same name, which is now required reading at some management and business programs.
The Dilbert Principle is a variation of the Peter Principle. In the Peter Principle employees raise to the level of their incompetency (ie. as far as , whether that be in management or elsewhere. In the Dilbert Principle "the most ineffective workers are systematically moved to the place where they can do the least damage: management".
See also
References
The Dilbert Principle by Scott Adams, HarperBuisness 1996 ISBN 0-88730-858-9