The Goal by Eliyahu M. Goldratt, Jeff Cox

Book's story format helps you retain knowledge
Kristi, A reviewer, 11/30/2007

I read this book in college over 10 years ago. I now work in the field of Information Technology and have nothing to do with manufacturing. Our IT department is trying to find ways to improve our business processes and prioritize those improvements. As we are beginning this process, I am starting to recall things I learned from reading this book and applying them to our present situation. I don't remember much else from that college course, but the story format of this book has helped me remember the principles that it teaches. It's applications reach far beyond manufacturing!

The Goal is to find the Goal
A reviewer, an industrial engineering student, 06/01/2007

This is an easy to read book that keeps the reader hooked as the story develops from beginning to end. Even though this is a business book it was written more like a novel, with the main character revealing the struggles and tribulations as a manufacturing plant manager and as a husband and father thus allowing the reader to relate on many levels to him. This is a must read book for all professionals in any field.

A great novel to learn Industrial Engineering fundamentals
Ed E., a Manufacturing Engineering Student, 05/31/2007

This book is not only entertaining and educational, but in actuality represents some of the manufacturing organizations today. It teaches many lessons and fundamentals that one can apply to improve his company. It touches on topics that are highly practiced on the field of industrial and manufacturing companies such as bottleneck operation, process scheduling, theory of constraints, and batch processing. The book transitions from a division plant being in trouble of closing down to its complete turnaround to become not only the most productive division plant, but the plant that saved the company. I thoroughly enjoyed the way Goldratt systematically went through the process of improvement and methods that the plant manager utilized to turn around his division plant. Having studied these topics that the book touched upon prior to reading made it easy for me to see the relevance of what was going on through out the novel. I strongly feel that the insight this novel gave me in regards to the process of ongoing improvement is something that I will be able make good use of in my career.

book review by Dian Koeswandi [IME 415]
Dian Koeswandi, A reviewer, 05/29/2007

The book talked about how to solve problems that I believe many companies face on their production line. I believe this book is very good book for not only people in industries but also for students to learn and see how they can use their knowledge to solve problems that industries faced. This book talks about theory of constraints which is the core problem of many companies along with bottleneck situation. By reading this book I know can see it clearly how all the classes that I took in school are so related in the real life. This book is awesome. Recommended not only for students and industries, but also for those who want to add knowledge to them.

The Goal
T.S IME, 415, a CalPoly Pomona student, 05/29/2007

A general summary of “The Goal” is Alex Rogo 'the main character', receives a notice from his manufacturing company that the profits must increase or the plant will be closed. Alex is then at a crossroads between his family and his job. The process of how to find the right goal is very interesting to read. I recommend this book to the students who are in the field of Industrial Engineer. The topics that are covered thorough out the book that correspond to industrial engineer are bottleneck and theoretical constraints. This book discusses some of the real life situations that an industrial engineer encounters in their every day job.