Breaking the Constraints to World-Class Performance (Hardcover)

~ William H. Dettmer (Author) "A traditional smokestack industry, once the envy of the world, America's steel industry has largely gone into the tank over the last 25 years, the..." (more)
Key Phrases: data processing priorities, future reality tree, rent reality tree, Sparrows Point, United States, Edwards Deming (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Executives and managers seeking an alternative or complementary approach to TQM for systematic improvement of business results can realize impressive results with this book. The author, Bill Dettmer, explains the basics of the theory of constraints and how it can be applied to a variety of organizational systems for maximum performance. This book is for people who have little experience with Goldratt's Theory of Constraints (TOC). This book is intended for anyone who wants to understand how to apply the logical thinking processes invented by the million copy best-selling author E.M. Goldratt in his book The Goal without going into a lot of theory and details about Goldratt's concepts. This book explains how to identify and optimize the system constraints that inhibit your organization's overall performance, which is the key to becoming worldclass.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 301 pages
• Publisher: McGraw-Hill Companies; 1 edition (July 1, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0873894375
• ISBN-13: 978-0873894371
• Product Dimensions: 10.1 x 6.9 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #898,745 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A World-Class Book, March 3, 2002

By	Arie Kadosh (Tel-Aviv Israel) - See all my reviews

As someone who read the entire series of Goldratt's books and as someone who has been practicing TOC in project management for a few years, I rate this book '5 stars' only because six is not an option.

Step-by-step and in a didactic manner, Mr. Dettmer takes the reader into the world of TOC. If you read Goldratt's books and left with the test but without the 'know how' then this is the book for you.

Mr. Dettmer explains the basic building blocks and the terminology of the 'Thinking Process Toolkit' and he then, step by step, explains the 'how'.

How to build a Current Reality Tree - The tool for understanding the one core problem (few root causes) preventing your organization from achieving its goal.

How to discover and solve conflicts that cause your company to stagnate.

How to systematically verify that the solution you want to apply will actually lead to the desired effects, without causing other adverse ones.

How to systematically understand what conditions should be fulfilled in order to reach the company's goal, and how to build a 'winning plan' to achieve the goal.

I also read the first book of Mr. Dettmer on the subject (Goldratt's Theory Of Constraints) and I liked this one better.

At last, I think that every executive who wants to do something beneficial to his company should get this book.

Tip: Read Appendix D first and then go back to page one.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best summary of TOC and Thinking Tools I've read, May 19, 1999

By A Customer

Bill Dettmer has written the best summary of Goldratt's Theory of Constraints and Thinking Tools that I've read. Dettmer's writing style is clear, easy to read, and loaded with examples. Physical bottlenecks are often easy to spot and fix, but policy and management practices are not. Dettmer's book primarily focuses on how to use the Goldratt's Thinking Tools to surface and eliminate the core problems behind almost any kind of constraint in the system, tangible or intangible. Teachers, consultants, and anyone interested in improving their systems and processes should read this book.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A TOC book that is a pleasure for Executives to read., July 31, 1998

By A Customer

I have just finish reading the new book called "Breaking the constraints to World Class Performance", I must say it is very good, better than the last in terms of synthesizing the materials....this is an excellent book to teach "Jonah like" classes.... I wish I had this when I was taking my executive team and several of the board of directors at the bank through TOC.... I plan on using this book as a text book in classes to "bankers","financial services executives" and senior executives in various industries.....who want a complete and short course on TOC without having to do the "drill downs" required for technicans... Great job! really!