This book investigates how managers can optimize their time and organizational performance by focusing exclusively on deviations from established standards. Lester R. Bittel, an experienced authority in industrial management, provides a framework for identifying critical performance indicators. He argues that by delegating routine operations and only intervening when results fall outside of predetermined parameters, managers can significantly increase their operational effectiveness and decision-making clarity.

Experts recognize this work as a foundational text for understanding the principles of management by exception in mid-20th-century corporate environments. Readers frequently note the practical, procedural density of the prose, which serves as a manual for those seeking to formalize their managerial oversight processes.