by Paul Simister
on October 31, 2016
The full title of this book by Yishai Ashlag is
TOC Thinking: Removing Constraints for Business Growth
In my review posted on Amazon.co.uk, I gave the book Three Stars. This means Worthwhile.
Here is my review.
A nice introduction to TOC but anyone with much knowledge of TOC won’t get much out of it
The author makes it clear that he’s trying to explain the underlying thinking behind the Theory of Constraints and Eliyahu Goldratt’s books rather than trying to summarise the concepts.
It’s well written and easy to read. It also contains what I suspect will be a few aha moments for people who haven’t read the main books. [continue reading…]
by Paul Simister
on May 8, 2016
Theory of Constraints Handbook
I gave this very large, very intensive look at the Theory of Constraints a rating of Five Stars in my review on Amazon.co.uk.
Here is my book review.
The Serious Guide To The Theory Of Constraints
If you’ve read “The Goal” and a few other books about the Theory Of Constraints and you want to implement it yourself or through a specialist consultancy, this is the most definitive guide I’ve seen.
It is massive with 38 chapters which end on page 1135 before the Bibliography and Index… and that’s with a smaller print font than I’d ideally like.
Its size is both a strength and a weakness. I’ve had it for five years and I use it to dip in and out of as a reference rather than as a book to read from start to finish. Its bulk is intimidating and it’s heavy to hold. [continue reading…]
by Paul Simister
on December 4, 2015
The full title of this important book on project management by Eli Goldratt is
“Critical Chain: A Business Novel“.
In my review posted on Amazon.co.uk, I gave the book a rating of Four Stars. This means that it is Good and Well Worth Reading.
Here is my book review.
Interesting ideas about project management in this management novel.
I was reading Critical Chain when I heard the news that the author, Dr Eliyahu Goldratt died.
The Theory of Constraints guru focuses his attention on project management in this book after looking at constraints in the production process in The Goal: A Process of Ongoing Improvement and in the marketing strategy in It’s Not Luck. [continue reading…]
by Paul Simister
on December 4, 2015
In my review of
It’s Not Luck
by Eliyahu Goldratt posted on Amazon.co.uk, I gave it Three Stars. This is Worthwhile.
Here is my review.
A story using the Theory of Constraints in the market where lack of demand is the constraint
I read It’s Not Luck when it was first published in 1994 and have read it several times since but I still think it’s a disappointing book.
I loved The Goal by Eli Goldratt. It is an insightful business book which revealed simple and powerful ideas through a fast paced and engaging story. It brought the Theory of Constraints to the world and challenged some of the new ideas coming out to right the ills of 1980s/1990s accounting. It’s Not Luck is a pale shadow of it’s famous predecessor. [continue reading…]
by Paul Simister
on May 11, 2013
The Goal by Eliyahu Goldratt and Jeff Cox
Book Review Rating – 5 Stars
“The Goal: A Process of Ongoing Improvement” is a fantastic book about performance improvement in a manufacturing business wrapped up in a novel that is hard to put down.
First published in 1984 this book introduced the world to the Theory of Constraints.
The big idea is that many of the ideas for improving a business are misguided at best and expensive mistakes at worst.
That’s because an improvement in an area outside of the constraint that is holding back performance is more an illusion than substance. Real improvements come from removing the constraint.
The Story Of The Goal
I think this was the first popular management book to be written as a story but it is an extremely effective teaching method for putting across the big ideas. The weakness is that it’s hard to pick up the details to put the ideas into action. Eli Goldratt wrote The Race as the follow-up hands-on guide. [continue reading…]
by Paul Simister
on May 5, 2013
I introduced the USP and the Irresistible Offer to you and now it’s the turn of the Mafia Offer.
Have you watched the firm The Godfather?
Do you remember when Marlon Brando says “I’m gonna make you an offer you can’t refuse.”
That’s a Mafia Offer.
The Mafia Offer And The Theory Of Constraints
The Theory of Constraints was introduced to the world in the great business novel The Goal by Eliyahu Goldratt and Jeff Cox.
The idea that every business is a system and as such, its output (making money) is limited by a constraint. Many businesses have constraints or bottlenecks inside the business but sometimes the problem is between the business and the outside world.
The constraint that holds back the business is that the business isn’t creating enough demand.
That’s where the idea of the Mafia Offer or Unrefusable Offer comes in. [continue reading…]
