Stupid Rules
Reducing Red Tape and Making Organizations More Effective and Accountable
Published on 29. January 2026
Book
Paperback/Softback
224 pages
978-1-78821-877-1 (ISBN)
Description
Our lives are imbued with rules and regulations, some of which are vital and sensible, but others are simply stupid. Natasha Hamilton-Hart maintains that time-wasting processes of compliance don't improve anyone's lives or wellbeing and burden companies and organizations with productivity-sapping paperwork. In these instances, she argues, we would be better off resorting to the exercise of authority, a concept we have become afraid of, but one that is a more efficient and transparent option for getting things done.
Navigating the rules maze and compliance culture that has proliferated over recent years, this book challenges us to consider just how ineffective stupid rules are in holding power to account, to improving service delivery, and even in managing the office dress code. The book is a must-read for anyone frustrated by the bureaucratic overload regulations create and for those needing to rethink their approach to management.
Navigating the rules maze and compliance culture that has proliferated over recent years, this book challenges us to consider just how ineffective stupid rules are in holding power to account, to improving service delivery, and even in managing the office dress code. The book is a must-read for anyone frustrated by the bureaucratic overload regulations create and for those needing to rethink their approach to management.
Reviews / Votes
This remarkable book describes and analyses the plague of regulation affecting western liberal democracies - and includes essential recommendations for reform. It is a unique analysis of the political economy of lawmaking and is essential reading for both policymakers and the citizens who seek relief from the day-to-day impact of stupid rules. -- Robin Ellison, author of Red Tape: Managing Excess in Law, Regulation and the Courts The replacement of individual judgement and discretion with administrative rules, which is pervasive across business, government and academia, fosters a culture of compliance that diminishes innovation, freedom and trust. Hamilton-Hart deftly uses intuitive concepts from economics, jurisprudence and organizational theory to make a provocative argument for authority, understood as the prudent use of judgement in an environment of accountability. -- Mark D. White, author of Rights Versus AntitrustMore details
Language
English
Place of publication
United Kingdom
Publishing group
Edinburgh University Press
Target group
Professional and scholarly
Dimensions
Height: 233 mm
Width: 157 mm
Thickness: 21 mm
Weight
348 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-78821-877-1 (9781788218771)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
Natasha Hamilton-Hart
Stupid Rules
Reducing Red Tape and Making Organizations More Effective and Accountable
E-Book
01/2026
Agenda Publishing
€34.49
Available for download
Person
Natasha Hamilton-Hart is a professor in the Department of Management and International Business at the University of Auckland, New Zealand.
Content
1. Rule proliferation and the loss of authority
2. Stupid rules in real life
3. Stupid rules in disguise
4. Autonomy
5. Rules: regulatory solutions and rule proliferation
6. Authority: why and when hierarchy works
7. Accountability: making authority work
8. Authority for a better world
2. Stupid rules in real life
3. Stupid rules in disguise
4. Autonomy
5. Rules: regulatory solutions and rule proliferation
6. Authority: why and when hierarchy works
7. Accountability: making authority work
8. Authority for a better world