The Goal is a management-oriented novel by Eliyahu M. Goldratt, a business consultant known for his theory of constraints, and Jeff Cox, the author of several management-oriented novels.[1]The Goal was originally published in 1984 and has since been revised and republished.[2] This describes a case study in operations management, focusing on the theory of constraints, and bottlenecks and how to alleviate them. In 2011, Time Magazine listed the book as one of "the 25 most influential business management books".[3]
Like other books by Goldratt and by Cox, The Goal is written as a piece of fiction. The main character is Alex Rogo, who manages a production plant with an uncertain future.[4] Bill Peach, a company executive, tells Alex that he has three months to turn operations at his plant around from being unprofitable and unreliable to being successful. Jonah (a physicist), whom many believe represents Goldratt himself, helps him solve the company's problems through a series of telephone calls and short meetings wherein he explains many fundamental business concepts. A second story line is introduced involving Alex's marital life.
BottlenecksEdit
The book goes on to point out the role of bottlenecks (constraints) in a manufacturing process, and how identifying them not only makes it possible to reduce their impact, but also yields a useful tool for measuring and controlling the flow of materials. Alex and his team identify the bottlenecks in their process and immediately begin to implement changes to help increase capacity and speed up production. In response to questions about the logic of using outdated technology in modern manufacturing, Alex's team brought in an old machine they received for free (which had previously been used at their plant in conjunction with two other machines) in order to increase the capacity of the NCX-10 machine, which had been identified as one of the two bottlenecks. Further more, they identified processes at the heat treat, identified as their second bottleneck, that caused massive delays in their getting product through the heat-treat and which had also caused some products to be heat-treated multiple times (to make softer and then harder again) instead of just once or not at all.
Socratic methodEdit
In the book, Jonah teaches Alex Rogo by using the Socratic method. Throughout the book, whenever a meeting or telephone call dialogue happens with Jonah, he poses a question to Alex Rogo or a member of his crew, which in turn causes them to talk amongst themselves to come up with a solution to their problem. When Alex Rogo is with his wife, he finds the Socratic method to be a way to fix his marriage, which he then uses, with his crew, to come up with the five steps they should use to fix problems in the plant, which ultimately leads him and Lou to think up the three things every division manager, the position Rogo is promoted to, should be able to do.
CharactersEdit
Alex Rogo – main character, manufacturing plant manager, hero of the story
Bill Peach – division vice-president
Fran – Alex's secretary
Jonah – advisor, Alex's former physics professor
Lou – chief accountant / plant controller
Stacey – inventory manager
Julie Rogo – Alex Rogo's wife
Bob Donovan – production manager
Ralph Nakamura – data processing manager
Herbie – the bottleneck and the solution
Dave – Alex Rogo's son
Sharon – Alex Rogo's daughter
Mike O'Donnel – union rep
Ethan Frost – division controller
Johnny Jons – marketing director / sales manager
Hilton Smyth – assistant division controller
Bucky Burnside – President of UniCo's biggest customer
^Rawlings, Nate (2011-08-09). "The 25 Most Influential Business Management Books". Time. Retrieved 2016-02-20.
^Stevenson, Seth (2012-06-08). "Then Why Did We Buy the NCX-10?". Slate. ISSN 1091-2339. Retrieved 2023-03-11.
EditionsEdit
This list is incomplete; you can help by adding missing items. (April 2020)
Goldratt, Eliyahu M.; Cox, Jeff (1984). The Goal: A Process of Ongoing Improvement. Pretoria, South Africa: National Productivity Institute [Wikidata]. ISBN978-0-947015-45-9.
Goldratt, Eliyahu M.; Cox, Jeff (1986). The Goal: A Process of Ongoing Improvement. Great Barrington, MA.: North River Press. ISBN0-88427-061-0.
External linksEdit
Chapter-wise summary of The Goal at the Theory of Constraints Institute website
August 27, 2023
goal, novel, this, article, multiple, issues, please, help, improve, discuss, these, issues, talk, page, learn, when, remove, these, template, messages, this, article, includes, list, general, references, lacks, sufficient, corresponding, inline, citations, pl. This article has multiple issues Please help improve it or discuss these issues on the talk page Learn how and when to remove these template messages This article includes a list of general references but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations Please help to improve this article by introducing more precise citations February 2008 Learn how and when to remove this template message This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources The Goal novel news newspapers books scholar JSTOR February 2008 Learn how and when to remove this template message Learn how and when to remove this template message The Goal is a management oriented novel by Eliyahu M Goldratt a business consultant known for his theory of constraints and Jeff Cox the author of several management oriented novels 1 The Goal was originally published in 1984 and has since been revised and republished 2 This describes a case study in operations management focusing on the theory of constraints and bottlenecks and how to alleviate them In 2011 Time Magazine listed the book as one of the 25 most influential business management books 3 The Goal A Process of Ongoing ImprovementFront CoverAuthorEliyahu M GoldrattLanguageEnglishPublisherNorth River PressPublication date1984 First Edition 1986 Revised First Edition 1992 Revised Second Edition 2004 Revised Third Edition 2014 Fourth Revised 30th Anniversary EditionMedia typeSoftcoverPages384ISBN978 0 88427 178 9OCLC56194659Dewey Decimal823 914 22LC ClassPR9510 9 G64 G6 2004Followed byIt s Not Luck Contents 1 Setting 2 Bottlenecks 3 Socratic method 4 Characters 5 See also 6 References 7 Editions 8 External linksSetting EditLike other books by Goldratt and by Cox The Goal is written as a piece of fiction The main character is Alex Rogo who manages a production plant with an uncertain future 4 Bill Peach a company executive tells Alex that he has three months to turn operations at his plant around from being unprofitable and unreliable to being successful Jonah a physicist whom many believe represents Goldratt himself helps him solve the company s problems through a series of telephone calls and short meetings wherein he explains many fundamental business concepts A second story line is introduced involving Alex s marital life Bottlenecks EditThe book goes on to point out the role of bottlenecks constraints in a manufacturing process and how identifying them not only makes it possible to reduce their impact but also yields a useful tool for measuring and controlling the flow of materials Alex and his team identify the bottlenecks in their process and immediately begin to implement changes to help increase capacity and speed up production In response to questions about the logic of using outdated technology in modern manufacturing Alex s team brought in an old machine they received for free which had previously been used at their plant in conjunction with two other machines in order to increase the capacity of the NCX 10 machine which had been identified as one of the two bottlenecks Further more they identified processes at the heat treat identified as their second bottleneck that caused massive delays in their getting product through the heat treat and which had also caused some products to be heat treated multiple times to make softer and then harder again instead of just once or not at all Socratic method EditIn the book Jonah teaches Alex Rogo by using the Socratic method Throughout the book whenever a meeting or telephone call dialogue happens with Jonah he poses a question to Alex Rogo or a member of his crew which in turn causes them to talk amongst themselves to come up with a solution to their problem When Alex Rogo is with his wife he finds the Socratic method to be a way to fix his marriage which he then uses with his crew to come up with the five steps they should use to fix problems in the plant which ultimately leads him and Lou to think up the three things every division manager the position Rogo is promoted to should be able to do Characters EditAlex Rogo main character manufacturing plant manager hero of the story Bill Peach division vice president Fran Alex s secretary Jonah advisor Alex s former physics professor Lou chief accountant plant controller Stacey inventory manager Julie Rogo Alex Rogo s wife Bob Donovan production manager Ralph Nakamura data processing manager Herbie the bottleneck and the solution Dave Alex Rogo s son Sharon Alex Rogo s daughter Mike O Donnel union rep Ethan Frost division controller Johnny Jons marketing director sales manager Hilton Smyth assistant division controller Bucky Burnside President of UniCo s biggest customerSee also EditList of project management topics List of management topicsReferences Edit Jeff Cox Simon amp Schuster Retrieved 2017 05 25 A summary of The Goal by Gower Publishing Rawlings Nate 2011 08 09 The 25 Most Influential Business Management Books Time Retrieved 2016 02 20 Stevenson Seth 2012 06 08 Then Why Did We Buy the NCX 10 Slate ISSN 1091 2339 Retrieved 2023 03 11 Editions EditThis list is incomplete you can help by adding missing items April 2020 Goldratt Eliyahu M Cox Jeff 1984 The Goal A Process of Ongoing Improvement Pretoria South Africa National Productivity Institute Wikidata ISBN 978 0 947015 45 9 Goldratt Eliyahu M Cox Jeff 1984 The Goal Gower Publishing ISBN 978 0 566 02683 6 Goldratt Eliyahu M Cox Jeff 1986 The Goal A Process of Ongoing Improvement Great Barrington MA North River Press ISBN 0 88427 061 0 External links EditChapter wise summary of The Goal at the Theory of Constraints Institute website Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title The Goal novel amp oldid 1156690387, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
