Customer Reviews

Viable Vision: Transforming Total Sales into Net Profits

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In this book, Gerry attempts primarily to demonstrate two things. First, that contemporaneous complex and fast-changing business environment can best be managed through simplicity. Second, that the successful application of this approach can unleash the potential for organisations to achieve, in less than four years, net profits equal to current sales (Eli Goldratt's Viable Vision Proposition).

After introducing Eli Goldratt's Viable Vision Proposition in chapters 1 and 2, Gerry provides a concise summary about the frameworks of reference, logic, application and expected results when applying the Theory of Constraints (TOC) to the different areas of the organisation (chapters 3 to 10). With this approach he seeks to prove his first claim.

Throughout the book, the reader will find examples and valuable information about the applicability of the TOC to managing businesses operations. Also, about new business propositions that organisations can take advantage of and that arise thanks to this TOC's management approach. Without doubt, Gerry's book makes the reader wiser and does help experience a paradigm shift.

Finally, and in Part IV of the book, Gerry describes a powerful buy-in process (chapter 11) and criteria to construct lasting competitive advantage (chapter 12) with chapter 13 explaining different phases through which managers can aspire to move their organisations towards a period of unparalleled growth.

If the reader is in need of gaining a good overview of TOC and of getting new breakthrough ideas to increase organisation's competitiveness and sales, this book won't disappoint. However, the reader must be warned that this book is not sufficient neither to implement some of the changes necessary to achieve sustainable results nor to develop and implement a Viable Vision that will generate, in less than four years, net profit equal to current sales. To this ends, the reader must seek professional advice!

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I have just completed translating this book into Japanese. Actually I translated several TOC books into Japanese in the past, because many Japanese readers want them to read in Japanese. However, in order for those who want to understand what TOC is all about, they had to read several books in the past before they understand whole of TOC and its implications to their business.
One of the unique points of this book, in my opinion, is that this is the first TOC book ever written specifically aiming at smart but busy executives as the target audience. In the Acknowledgments, Gerry wrote "...my original idea - a short, to the point Theory of Constraints (TOC) book for executives." Exactly this is why I decided to translate this book into Japanese so that the Japanese executives can read it quickly in Japanese without language barrier. Therefore, by investing little time, say, while traveling, executives can grasp all of the guts of TOC and its implications to their business.
The second uniqueness of this book is that, although it is concise, it is still comprehensive to cover every aspect of TOC - in other words it is full of messages that can make your business achieve high growth, and therefore, these messages should not certainly be overlooked by the Japanese executives who are keen to regain their success in world markets by applying the holistic approach explained plainly in this book to marketing and logistics.

For the past two years Dr. Goldratt (Founder of Theory of Constraints) has been going around the country providing Viable Vision Seminars to explain the concept and what is required to develop a Viable Vision. What is a Viable Vision? It is basically a comprehensive strategy that leverages all of the disciplines of TOC.

Gerry's book is the perfect compliment, guide if you will, to the Viable Vision seminar. The book starts by describing the premise behind a Viable Vision. It then goes on to detail each of the disciplines that will need to be considered when developing a Viable Vision and the TOC approach to each of them. The disciplines are Marketing, Operations, Project Management, Supply Chain, and IT. The book then talks about how to gain buy-in, as well as strategy, and executing the paradigm shift required in order to implement a successful Viable Vision.

The book concludes with actual examples of some Viable Vision's created for a Distribution and Irrigation company.

Viable Vision is an excellent overview of Theory of Constraints and its application to each function within an organization. It is the first book I give to Executives to show them how Theory of Constraints and developing a Viable Vision will set us apart from our competitors.

It is a must read for anyone into management. It is short and concise but very much straight to the point. How much you can really take away depends how it inspire you to change your current methodology. It is common sense really but walking the path is no easy task.

This work is summarizing very well the essentials of the TOC
set of tools and strategies. Yet it is done in away that enable
the reader to get insights about why these theories can add value
to your businesses or endeavors.

Viable Vision is a strategic summary of Dr. Eli Goldratt's Theory of Constraints. Gerald Kendall covers the application of constraint management principles across the entire organization with the single objective to turn Sales Revenue figures into Net Profit within 4 years.

The author proposes to find the leverage points in Manufacturing, Finance, Marketing, Supply Chain, Sales, Project Management, Engineering and IT with the common objective of increasing the efficiency of the profit generation process.

Viable Vision is a really good book filled with good reality based examples of it's use. I would recommend this book for people who have a good working knowledge of TOC, but not for people just getting started.

Bob Sproull

Except for Throughput Accounting: A Guide to Constraint Management, this is the first TOC related book that I've read and that's not in the form of a novel. It's very well structured and easy to follow and offers a birds eye view of the necessary of what needs to be done to bring your business to the next level.

The book starts by introducing the T (Throughput), I (Investment) and OE (Operating Expense) framework for decision making. It doesn't go into any detail but gives references to appropriate works. I liked the way
this topic was presented in "Throughput Accounting". Then a system plainly called the "Five Focusing Steps" is used to leverage TOC in all aspects of a manufacturing business. Finally, the most interesting chapters (to me) are at the end and discuss resistance to change and show how the TOC Thinking Process should be used to obtain buy-in from upper management.

I'm a bit critical of the authors position when it comes to project management as it could apply to IT. I do agree that IT projects that support the global constraint should have a higher priority than all other projects but where I don't agree is in the use of the critical chain for the project management activities. It might work well in some areas but in software projects the requirements are never sufficiently well expressed or change too quickly for this type of approach to work successfully. A much better way to manage projects would be to use Scrum, which is better suited to the software world and is also concerned with project velocity.

Though its sold as a "executive overview" book, I still think that it's a bit too light. It lacks depth on all topics. I also find it somewhat too self-promotional.

I have studied a lot of TOC bibliography but this book connects all in a very simple and easy way to learn

Gerry has done a nice job of explaining what a Viable Vision is and the Viable Vision process. If you are seriously interested in turning your current sales level into your profit level in 4 years then you should read this book.

It sounds outrageous doesn't it? But out of 100 companies who have applied for a free Viable Vision, 70 of them are in the Viable Vision process. After reading the book, I recommend attending one of Dr Goldratt's Viable Visin Offer Events. You can judge it for yourself, hear references, see the reaction of other CEOs, and apply for your free 2 hour meeting with Goldratt Consulting. You can get more information on the Viable Vision Offer Events at [...]