Hi Friends,
E.M.Goldratt and Jeff Con have written one f the most intellectually stimulating books that I have read till date in The Goal. E.M.Goldratt is an internationally renowned author, he is also known for his ?Theory of Constraints?.
In The Goal he has more or less tried to explain the same theory plus some other things which can change the management thinking process completely.
He has brilliantly used fiction in order to make the reader understand some easy concepts.
These things can very simply be coined as ?common sense? but as the saying goes ?common sense is not so common?.
We can say ?The Goal? is a novel, but it is not just a novel. I?d like to classify this as ?business fiction? a new category however it may seem, it is completely justified.
Let?s have a look at what this novel is all about. Alex Rogo is a plant manager for UniCo. His plant is in a real bad condition. Despite of having all modern equipments and robotic machines the plant is not able to produce the goods as per its capacity. His plant is late in shipping orders, sometimes as many as 58 days late.
While Alex Rogo is in middle of a mess, his division manager one day comes to his plant. He is frustrated and gives Alex a period of three months or 90 days to deliver results or his plant will be closed. With a period of 90 days to do something and jobs of more than 600 people at stake Alex is facing real troubles. To add to his misery, his married life is also in a real mess and there is a possibility of divorce.
Now, Alex goes deep into these ?common sense? things, and by understanding the reasons behind the plant?s failure despite of all the modern technology, Alex is finally able to change his plant?s image completely transforming it from a burden to a real star performer and asset for UniCo.
Now during the part of the story where Alex is transforming his plant, we get to know some real important things about manufacturing and plant management. All these things which are correct as per the book but are completely wrong as per the practicality is concerned. These are the small things that generally go wrong and also get ignored.
We can also understand the solutions of these problems in specific context of plant management. Questions have been raised and answered as well, about the evils and wrong assumptions of age old cost accountancy measures to check performances of a production unit.
And finally, if we read between the lines of this brilliant work, not only we can learn about the dynamics of production and better methods of plant management, but we come to know a very basic thing where generally maximum number of people go wrong. And what is that thing? Well, the title itself. The Goal.
What is the goal? What is the reason of existence? Recall the dialogue by Agent Smith in blockbuster movie ? THE MATRIX, ?It is the purpose the created us, purpose that connects us, purpose that pulls us, that guides us, that drives us. It is the purpose that defines us, purpose that binds us???..?
You see, purpose, reason, the goal ? quote it the way you like it but it is basic thing where the people go wrong. It is not a matter of having a correct or a wrong goal, generally people have no goal at all.
So, one must be aware of his goal, what is reason that some thing is being done or what is the purpose of the activities that he is doing or going to do. Once you are clear about your goal everything becomes crystal clear.
And as the saying goes ?Know Thyself?. It is very much necessary to set your goals as per your ability.
And on the fiction front, it has been written in a fast paced thriller style. Really fast plot with all the twists and turns, but you can really enjoy those things if you read it like a student, always wanting to hunt something new for the precise reason that in spite of being a novel, this is not meant for entertainment.
As per the management part, this is really thought provoking.
It is more than a compulsive reading that will transform your whole thought process, should you choose to accept this theory ? Theory of Constraints.
An intellectually stimulating work by E.M.Goldratt.
Recommended.
Mr. Gautam