Eliyashu M. Goldratt and Jeff Cox - The Goal: Beating the Competition

Pros: Very informative and written in an interesting novel form

Cons: Focus (on manufacturing) is a bit narrow at times

The Bottom Line: The Theory of Constraints seemed like common sense to me, but I would like to read some accounts of actual implementations of the theory before I evaluate its effectiveness.

Review: This is the book that introduced Eli Goldratt's visionary Theory of Constraints approach to manufacturing management. Since its initial publication in 1986, over 200 colleges and universities (including Georgia Tech where I am studying right now) have...

Pros: excellent books that walks you through the theories of production management in novel form

Cons: in novel form so it can not be used as a traditional reference book

Review: While taking an operating management course in college, The Goal was assinged as require reading. Having "read" (mostly skimmed) a number of business books, I was ready to hunker down with yet another dry, technical, statistical filled book...

Pros: Very useful theories portrayed in an interesting manner

Cons: Nothing

Review: If you took 100 people, and asked them what the goal is of the business they work for, you'd have a variety of answers. If you asked the same 100 people how they should reach their goal, you would probably have an even greater multitude of...

Pros: The Goal is: well written easy to read a fantastic introduction to production operations

Cons: Should include textbook-type summaries or bullet-point that aid in recapping what was learned.

The Bottom Line: The Goal helped me understand how to look at operations and helped me develop specific ideas on applying what I read to my position at work.

Review: In The Goal, Eliyahu M. Goldratt and Jeff Cox bring into view a new way of looking at running a production plant. Fundamentally, managers often become sidetracked with the efforts to run the day-to-day events and lose focus of the over-all goal, to make ...

Pros: Without being "technical" it shows the way.

Cons: None that I can think of.

The Bottom Line: Read it, listen to it, and read it again. Share it with a friend!

Review: My background is accounting. My training is that if you pay $1000 for a piece of equipment and can run 1000 pieces per day, to make this piece of equipment most cost effective you run 1000 pieces through each day. End of discussion!
BIG WRONG!
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Pros: Amazingly interesting. Quick read.

Cons: Climaxes a bit early. Slow ending..

Review: I read "The Goal", by Eliyahu Goldratt a couple of years ago while I was working in a factory and studying business in college. An engineer friend of mine was required to read it, and he turned me on to it. I was pretty skeptical at...

Pros: Easy to read book with many new ways to improve Manufacturing businesses

Cons: You can't sell these radical ideas yourself, you have to get them to read it too!

Review: This book on manufacturing theory sucks you in like a mystery novel. In a way it is a mystery novel. Except, instead of trying to figure out who did it, you try to figure out, how's he going to save the plant, his marriage, and himself?

Alex...

Pros: Learn the Theory of Constraints in a easy, understandable, entertaining manner; Socratic presentation to provide a deeper understanding; applications to everyday processes, not just business.

Cons: Doesn't cut it as a pure novel because a lot of convenient events and slightly unrealistic reactions from Alex's wife.

Review: I recently had to read this book for an MBA accounting class. Although initially skeptical about reading a novel for a class dealing with formulae and numbers, I soon changed my tone as this book introduced me to the theory of constraints in a way...

Pros: Simple and straightforward, but more substantive than cheerleader-type business books.

Cons: It barely passes muster as a novel. Using fiction to prove theory begs the question.

The Bottom Line: Reducing your organization's efficiencies might lead to increased profitability? Tell me again why people say this is common sense?

Review: I find it interesting how many people say one of their life goals is to write a novel. Especially since the majority of these people have never done much writing, know little about it, and show no inclination to study it. Some of them don't even seem ...