Name: The Goal
ISBN: 9781351982115

Eliyahu M. Goldratt

Jeff Cox

Alex Rogo is a harried plant manager working ever more desperately to try and improve performance. His factory is rapidly heading for disaster. So is his marriage. He has ninety days to save his plant - or it will be closed by corporate HQ, with hundreds of job losses. It takes a chance meeting with a colleague from student days - Jonah - to help him break out of conventional ways of thinking to see what needs to be done. Described by Fortune as a 'guru to industry' and by Businessweek as a 'genius', Eliyahu M. Goldratt was an internationally recognized leader in the development of new business management concepts and systems. This 20th anniversary edition includes a series of detailed case study interviews by David Whitford, Editor at Large, Fortune Small Business, which explore how organizations around the world have been transformed by Eli Goldratt's ideas. The story of Alex's fight to save his plant contains a serious message for all managers in industry and explains the ideas which underline the Theory of Constraints (TOC) developed by Eli Goldratt. Written in a fast-paced thriller style, The Goal is the gripping novel which is transforming management thinking throughout the Western world. It is a book to recommend to your friends in industry - even to your bosses - but not to your competitors!

A Process of Ongoing Improvement

The Goal

Over 2 million copies sold! Used by thousands of companies and hundreds of business schools! Required reading for anyone in the Theory of Constraints. This book, which introduces the Theory of Constraints, is changing how America does business. The Goal is a gripping, fast-paced business novel about overcoming the barriers to making money. You will learn the fundamentals of identifying and solving the problems created by constraints. From the moment you finish the book you will be able to start successfully addressing chronic productivity and quality problems.

Nick Gracilla

Yes, there’s a dreadful personal storyline, with stiff characters seemingly flown in from Atlas Shrugged. And yes, it’s a business book written in that dreadful narrative style. Yet, for anyone interested in business process improvement, or the intellectual history behind Agile/Lean/Kanban software development, this classic sets out the theory of constraints in an imaginative, engaging method. Recommended.

Julien Sobczak

When theory and practice are indistinguishable from each other. Brilliant.

What to say about The Goal that has not already been said. The Goal is a unique book of its kind. I have seen it quoted in so many books that for as long I can remember, it has always been waiting on my reading list ... for almost ten years. I was not inspired by the book cover even if the content is probably the best example of a nonfiction novel. 

To be honest, I’m glad not all fiction books use this style. But I have to admit this writing style is incredibly effective as a learning tool. This method, known as the Socratic Method, uses dialogues between individuals, asking and answering questions that stimulate critical thinking. We learn about solutions after being confronted with the problems. Since learning is basically an association process, this way of teaching is particularly relevant to convey subtle ideas that may challenge our common sense. The book is the perfect example of what learning from experience means. It turns stories into learning opportunities, and since we, humans, are creatures of stories, we love to learn in this way. In addition, the novel format allows for repetitions of key insights, each time reformulated differently, and in a different context to make their application crystal clear. 

Moreover, I should outline The Goal is one of the rare books that succeeded in keeping me awake when commuting. I read a large portion of this book after waiting for my delayed train for two long hours. I was cold, I just wanted to go home, and under such circumstances, I usually stop after a few pages. But not that night. The Goal had totally captivated my attention.

But The Goal is not new, neither are its ideas. So should you read this book several decades after its original publication? Definitely yes! Not because it’s a classic, but because it’s so different from other books. I don’t think it’s the best management book (it’s mainly about manufacturing), and I don’t think you will learn a lot (the process of on-going improvement is the goal of any company nowadays), but I’m sure you will remember it for a long time.

Pratul

Fantastic ideas and very thought provoking... But quite average on the novel/story facet. Almost seems unnecessary to present the ideas in such a fashion.

Pedro Giménez

Recomendado. Una buena —y corta— novela que nos brinda valiosas cápsulas de conocimiento sobre los sistemas de producción, envueltas en una entretenida historia —con romance incluido— sobre el manager de una planta con problemas para satisfacer las necesidades de sus clientes —y de su esposa.

Lo que más me ha gustado del libro es que emplea el método socrático para hacernos razonar sobre el funcionamiento del sistema de producción y los diferentes sistemas que lo componen.

En definitiva, es un libro genial para la mesita de noche: no es una novela vacía de contenido y no necesita una lectura muy activa.

Ricardo

Joshb

Takeshi Sawai

Pasha K

Said Afandi

S. R. Spencer

Dwight Jon Zimmerman

"Based on the business novel The goal: a process of ongoing improvement, by Eliyahu M. Goldratt and Jeff Cox."

A Business Graphic Novel

Mat Connor

Bailey Jennings

Chris Farrell 

Taylor Murphy

Pierre

Sebastian De Deyne

ahmed

Marcus Widerberg

un proceso de mejora continua

La meta

Brian

Sergei Khudovekov

Written in a fast-paced thriller style, 'The Goal' contains a serious message for all managers in industry and explains the ideas which underline the Theory of Constraints developed by the author.

The Goal A Process of Ongoing Improvement