"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
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The Law of Triviality, as coined by C. Northcote Parkinson, is a concept that suggests that the amount of time invested discussing an item on a program is inversely proportional to the amount of money included. Simply put, the more money that is at stake, the less time will be invested discussing it. This is because people tend to focus more on the smaller sized, less important products on the program, as they are much easier to comprehend and have less of an influence on the overall outcome. This can result in a circumstance where the more vital products are not given the attention they are worthy of, leading to a less than optimum result. The Law of Triviality is a suggestion to choice makers to ensure that all products on the program are provided the suitable quantity of time and consideration, regardless of the amount of cash involved.
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