What is a Constraint? A “constraint” is something that limits a person, or an organization, in achieving a goal. As we are accustomed to think that anything that limits our ability must be negative, we automatically think that constraints are negative. In reality, constraints are a part of nature and part of our every day life. […]
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Business, Emotion and the Human Constraint
It’s been a while since our last post. We’ve been concentrating our writing efforts elsewhere and we are very happy to announce that ‘The Human Constraint’ that started out as an online project, downloaded in 43 countries around the world, will be published this year by a major publishing house, Taylor & Francis (Routledge). Here, […]
A New Approach for Buffer Management to Control Your Constraint and Projects
The key elements of the Theory of Constraints were published in the 1980s in Dr. Goldratt’s novel “The Goal”. It became an international bestseller and remains a classic of management. Since then, the theory has been significantly expanded on. There also were numerous advancements made in identifying the appropriate managerial practices to help with the […]
Confused about the Theory of Constraints? Don’t be!
A lot of confusion has arisen about the Theory of Constraints (TOC) and people publish the strangest things about it. Just this week, an entrepreneur in the USA is quoted as saying that his company “applies the theory of constraints to help identify the most pressing factors that stand in the way of achieving a […]
Sell More of What Your Company Does with the Resources You Already Have (External Constraint) – A Systemic Approach Part 16
The customer is the most important link in the chain. This is what Dr. Deming used to say. Accordingly, a successful organization must have a built-in mechanism in the way it operates that allows it to understand and satisfy the needs of the customer. Having a reliable method is the most effective way to use […]
Controlling the Whole Organization through the Constraint – A Systemic Approach Part 10
Just ONE point of your organization can help you organize and manage your whole company. It’s a strategically chosen constraint. Everything else is connected to it so you can focus on ONE area instead of trying to focus on ALL areas – something that is impossible and a great time waster. Step Five of the […]
Why Your Organization’s Constraints are the Key to Success – A Systemic Approach Part 8
Dr. Eliyahu Goldratt’s main contribution to the theory of management has been to point out that any system is limited toward its goal by very few elements, the constraints. If we identify them we can manage them following the focusing steps that he developed. The Decalogue method leverages the intrinsic stability of a Deming-based system and […]
Don’t Get Stuck on the Path to Change – Leverage Your Human Constraint
“The only thing that does not require maintenance is obsolescence”, as W. Edwards Deming used to say. This is a fundamental truth: if we do not evolve, we regress. What makes everything more complicated is the pace at which we must evolve to survive. Technology speeds everything up, including the world of technology itself. Digital […]
Why Doesn’t Every Company Use the Theory of Constraints to Succeed?
While visiting a plant last month, our Founder, Dr. Domenico Lepore, told the dramatic story of his experience at a German aluminium plant, part of a multi-billion, multi-national business. The General Manager had invited Domenico to give a presentation after hearing him speak at a Theory of Constraints (TOC) conference. In that plant, the hot mill […]
The Theory of Constraints – a Whole System Approach
Due to the global success of Dr. Goldratt’s first business novel ‘The Goal’ most people mistakenly think of the Theory of Constraints (TOC) as just a technique for manufacturing. While TOC does produces fast and radical improvements in manufacturing processes, it is in fact a whole system philosophy and method. The thinking that underlies this theory stems from […]