Custom essays on Principles of Theory of Constraints

The book The Goal: A Process of Ongoing Improvement has become a guide to successful running of business and despite being written more than twenty years ago remains one of the most popular books among businessmen nowadays. Though the novel deals with manufacturing and covers the main principles of making profit, the ideas introduced by the author Eliyahu M. Goldratt are useful in everyday life as well. Among the most significant principles given in the book there are the ideas of identifying a clear goal and of managing the difficulties.
The main character Alex Rogo faces serious problems in running the plant but what is more problematic for him is that he does not know the causes of collapse of the plant (Goldratt and Cox 56). Moreover, reading the book we understand that he even does not know the main goal of the business he is managing. When his former professor Jonah, who becomes his consultant, asks him about the main aim of the business, he cannot find the answer. To be more precise he cannot define it clearly. This task is set by Johan as a prime one and further we can understand why.
It is impossible to make one’s way through without the knowledge where you are going. This principle relates to anything in our life. In order to achieve success it is necessary to set a clear goal, to formulate it. By Alex’s example we can see that it is not as easy as it might seem. From the reader’s perspective the truth is evident – every business is aimed at profit. However, from within, everything is not so simple. The actual goal might be overshadowed by other ones, which seem to be primary. It takes time for Alex to examine the situation and at last, thinking about his plant, he comes to a conclusion, that the main goal of the plant is to make money (Goldratt and Cox 71). The first and the basic step is made and now Alex can discuss the ways of achieving this aim.
Our life proves repeatedly that what we need is to understand our goals, to see them clearly. We might think that we know what we are moving towards, but in fact not everybody can answer without thinking what he/she wants. Having read this book I thought about my own experience when I worked for a while in a company and thought my main aim was promotion. I tried hard to fulfill my job and became a good employee but I was not promoted. Now I understand that my aim was defined erroneously. If I tried to examine the situation and to understand why my activity had not resulted in promotion, I would understand that my main aim should have been similar to the aim of the whole company. In other words, I should have aimed at the achievement of the common goal, the goal of the whole team and then my efforts would have been noticed. In order to be promoted in a company, one should not just fulfill one’s tasks in time but work for the common aim. My problem was that I did not realize it at that time and moreover my aim did not match my activity. Thus, we see that the emphasizing the principle of setting the goal at the beginning of one’s way, the author gives us precious advice for our life.
Another principle highlighted in the book concerns dealing with constraints, which are inevitable in our life, including business. Actually, this principle is the base of the Theory of Constraints, first introduced by Eliyahu Goldratt. This theory means that in every difficult situation it is necessary to find the major constraints and to act taking them into account. Every problem usually deals with one or two difficulties that do hamper the progress of business. For Alex it was another challenge to define these constraints and then to manage them. A clear example of how a look from other perspective can change the situation can be seen in the episode of group hiking. Alex already knows that it is necessary to make constraints work for yourself and therefore he makes the slowest boy scout in the group the leader and distributes the content of his backpack among others (Goldratt and Cox 168). Thus, firstly he finds the main difficulty that does not allow to achieve the aim, secondly, he finds the way out of the situation. So, we see the theory of constraints in use and by a simple everyday example.
To make a conclusion, the main principles found in the book belong to a famous Theory of Constraints that presupposes setting of a concrete goal, finding the main bottlenecks that hamper the process and dealing so that to change the situation and to overcome these difficulties. Not in vain Goldratt’s book became a desk book for many businessmen. His theory works and helps people to deal with problems by taking a different approach to them. What is more significant is that this theory is not a business theory only but a philosophical one too. We can apply it to any situation in our life. Our life consists of different goals, we aspire to achieve, and certainly of obstacles on our way to them. The ability to set a clear goal and to see the constraints can help us to be successful.

Works Cited
Goldratt, Eliyahu M. and Jeff Cox. The Goal: A Process of Ongoing Improvement. 3rd ed. North River Press, 2004