Abstract
Rahman reviews the theory of constraints as a philosophy and as applications: a system’s output moves at the speed of its single tightest constraint, and polishing any other link does not raise throughput until that constraint is exploited.
Rahman, S. (1998). International Journal of Operations & Production Management, 18(4), 336–355. DOI
Key findings
- Five focusing steps — Identify the constraint, exploit it, subordinate every other step, elevate it, then look again.
- Local improvement trap — Effort on a non-constraint can look productive and still leave throughput unchanged.
Limits
Cite-anchor shelf — operations review, not a personal-behaviour trial. Crossref title is Theory of constraints, subtitle A review of the philosophy and its applications (1998, 18(4), 336–355). The factory claim does not license diagnosing a life from a plant metaphor.
Application
When you are busy and the chain still does not start, name the one absent condition and touch only that (Theory of constraints).