Eliyahu M. Goldratt

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Eliyahu Moshe Goldratt (* 31 March 1947 ; † 11. June 2011 ) was an Israeli physicist , who to a well-known theorist of management theory was and consultants. He created the Optimized Production Technology , Theory of Constraints (TOC), the Thinking Processes , Drum Buffer Rope , Critical Chain Project Management (CCPM), Evaporating Cloud and others on the Theory of Management methods based on constraints.

In addition to a few non-fiction books, he was the author of business novels and contributed not only to his own but also to the popularity of this literary genre.

Life

Grave site of Eliyahu M. Goldratt

Goldratt was born into a rabbi family in Israel and studied physics for a “Bachelor of Science” at Tel Aviv University . He earned his “Master of Science” and subsequent doctorate from Bar-Ilan University . Several patents for temperature sensors and surgical instruments are created. After his academic career, he works as a software manufacturer, management consultant and author.

Goldratt died on June 11, 2011 with his family after a relatively short illness of cancer.

Working life

Time at "Creative Output Inc."

Having already as a researcher Israeli production companies consult with his brother and had it developed the concept of TOC and the idea of OPT founded the siblings in 1978 with the support of Control Data Corporation , the Creative Output Inc. in the United States. The company developed and sold the "Optimized Production Technology (OPT)" software package. The interest of large customers such as General Electric and General Motors could be aroused. Creative Output grew rapidly and was among the top ten fastest growing companies in 1983 and OPT was cited in the standard production management literature.

Goldratt observed that the software, however, was often not used adequately and that the desired success was therefore not achieved. In an attempt to take action against the causes, he began to point out from 1983 that the usual cost center accounting causes incorrect controls and considerable productivity losses. At first, that was a very factual, narrow-minded approach. Later it became clearer to him that both management and employees were using the software insufficiently or not at all because they did not understand the underlying ideas and did not trust the results or they did not fit into the landscape.

One response to this was the novel The Goal . At Creative Output they didn't like the book and at first they couldn't find any other publisher. When it finally appeared on North River Press , it was a resounding success and became a bestseller. Goldratt learned from the criticism of his readers that many now already felt able to achieve strong productivity gains by adapting the ideas of the book. That didn't do well on software sales. Goldratt took up the feedback professionally and developed the method of the drum buffer rope , published it in another book in 1987: The Race and tried to develop the company in the direction not so much towards software sales but towards advice and training focus. The company's job is to create customer benefits and not to sell a product. That did not succeed, the company's development declined and finally the shareholders had Goldratt replaced in 1987 and on the next move his closer team had to leave the company.

Time at the "Avraham Y. Goldratt Institute"

In the same year, 1987, Goldratt founded the Avraham Y Goldratt Institute (AGI) named after his father . With the new company, Goldratt was able to devote himself to the expanded focus, no longer having to concentrate on PPS software alone, but was able to develop a more holistic management approach, which he calls the theory of constraints . In particular, he identifies corporate policy and culture, key figure systems, the cost accounting and financial management system as at least as important influencing variables as production optimization software.

With AGI, Goldratt quickly gained reputation and awareness. He continued to work on the development of TOC, focusing on the flow of thought processes, critical chain project management and other management tools . His concepts now gained influence not only on production processes and supply chain management , but also on fields such as sales process engineering .

AGI writes some success stories. However, Goldratt stayed true to his early announcement that he was going to retire at fifty and left the company in 1997.

The time at the "Goldratt Group"

At the beginning of the new millennium, Goldratt is again active as an entrepreneur and this time founds Goldratt's Marketing Group without a partner or financier, and Goldratt Consulting and the Goldratt Schools in 2002 . The three companies are combined to form the Goldratt Group . The group is dedicated on the one hand to the specialization of TOC on the most diverse requirements and on the other hand to the further dissemination of the ideas.

Publications

Goldratt's most important publications are:

  • The goal: excellence in manufacturing. Great Barrington, MA: North River Press, 1984 (with Jeff Cox).
    The goal: a novel about process optimization . 4th edition Frankfurt: Campus, 2008. - ISBN 978-3-593-38568-6 .
  • It's not luck. Aldershot: Gower, 2008 (reprint from 1994). - ISBN 978-0-566-07627-5 .
    The goal - Part II: the continuation of the world bestseller. Frankfurt / M .: Campus, 2003 (with Petra Pyka). - ISBN 3-593-37301-7 .
  • The race. Great Barrington MA: The North River Press, 2003. - ISBN 0-88427-175-7 .
  • The haystack syndrome: sifting information out of the data ocean. North River Press: Croton-on-Hudson (NY) 1990.- ISBN 0884270890 .
  • Critical chain. North River Press: Great Barrington (MA), 1997. - ISBN 0-88427-153-6 .
    The critical chain: a novel about the new concept in project management. Campus: Frankfurt / M., 2002. - ISBN 3-593-37091-3 .
  • Necessary but not sufficient: a theory of constraints business novel. North River Press: Great Barrington (MA), 2000 (with Eli Schragenheim and Carol A. Ptak). - ISBN 0-88427-170-6 .
    The result: a novel about profitable software solutions. Campus: 0 Frankfurt / M., 2001 (with Eli Schragenheim and Carol A. Ptak). - ISBN 3-593-36913-3 .
  • Production the TOC way. North River Press: Great Barrington (MA), 2003. - ISBN 0-88427-175-7 .
  • The Choice. North River Press: Great Barrington (MA), 2008. - ISBN 978-0884271895 .
  • Isn't it Obvious. North River Press: Great Barrington (MA), 2009. - ISBN 978-0884271925 .

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ McClenahen, John S: "Manufacturing's Influential Thinkers & Doers" ( Memento of the original from June 8, 2008 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was automatically inserted and not yet checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. Retrieved October 24, 2008. See also “Tales out of business school.” The Economist. (January 21, 1995). 334 (7898): 63 @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.industryweek.com
  2. ^ Notice of death from the German TOC Institute
  3. ↑ McMullen, Thomas B .: Introduction to the theory of constraints (TOC) management system. Boca Raton, Fla .: St. Lucie Press, 1998 ( APICS series on constraints management), ISBN 1-57444-066-7 .
  4. ↑ Goldratt, Eliyahu M .: Cost accounting is enemy number one of productivity. In: International Conference Proceedings, American Production and Inventory Control Society (APICS) (October 1983).
  5. ↑ AGI Success Stories ( Memento of the original from July 30, 2010 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was automatically inserted and not yet checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.  @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.goldratt.com
personal data
SURNAME Goldratt, Eliyahu M.
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Goldratt, Eliyahu Moshe (full name)
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Israeli physicist, management theorist and consultant
DATE OF BIRTH March 31, 1947
DATE OF DEATH June 11, 2011