Customer Reviews

The Hunters and the Hunted: A Non-Linear Solution for Reengineering the Workplace

5 star:		(3)
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3 star:		(1)
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Way too much meat for one reading. The idea of the non-linear solution merits right up there as one of the fundamentals of modern world-class manufacturing. The non-linear solution is, among other things, the idea that you can't keep trying to improve a bad system. Fundamental, dramatic change is often necessary to keep from becoming one of the hunted. Do you see your company in any of these stories? Often hunters become hunted and don't know it until it is too late. One of the very best works available today. Read it and study it. The fantasy story that ties the book together is original and well done. As much a page turner as anything by Tom Clancy.

Sound ideas if you don't mind plowing through all of the stuff and fluff. The author spent way too much time trying to make his points compelling by the use of awkward and fanciful historical connections. Oh, and the liberal use of Capitalization To Play An Idea Up As A Fundamental Law Of The Universe gets annoying pretty quick.

I recommend reading "Lean Thinking" instead. You'll get all of the same important concepts without the need for literary corn-husking.

This book is just amazing, since it explains how American companies thought of themselves to be the best of the best, and saw no competition on the asian companies. Later on, in the late seventies and early eighties, american companies began a desperate rush to improve. It is written in a way that may remind you of Ellie GOldratt's "The goal". This book tells you what to do, but not how to, which I found to be one of it's biggest assets, because there is no better way to learn something, than doing it by yourself. It is a must to read by anyone who is on the upper levels of managemnet in a company, it will help you develop a new vision of what is the purpose of having a mangement on an agressive company.

Read this on the recommendation of an exceptional Materials Manager. While the format does take a little longer to get to the heart of non-linear solutions, the author provides a sense of what really separates good business practices from poor business practices, exceptional people from average people and the hunters from the hunted. The history that is included puts into perspective not just what you do to improve the business, but how to go about it (or how others have gone about it). Another important piece of information for the reader is that, what have been historic breakthroughs were arrived at through a combination of progressive thinking, and trial and error. It's not because a brilliant light just appeared. Highly recommend this book.