How To Prepare For This Shared Practice: Select One Of The F
To Prepare For This Shared Practice Select One Of The Following Optio
To prepare for this Shared Practice, select one of the following options, based on the two course level outcomes below, which you will use to frame and analyze this week’s reading assignment in The Goal : Analyze a complex value creation system using management concepts. OR Apply systems thinking to address challenges and opportunities managers encounter Then, select three or more short passages from this week’s assigned readings in The Goal that contain one or two essential ideas that you found compelling. Analyze each using the Course Outcome you selected as a framework. (Note: Part one of The Goal outlines the various performance problems that the Bearington plant is having, so feel free to practice your systems thinking skills to explain why the plant is having such difficulties!
Either course learning outcome above will allow you to do this.) For this Shared Practice, write a 3- to 4-paragraph essay in APA Format. Identify the Course Outcome you selected and the passages from Part 1 of The Goal . Explain why each passage you chose is relevant and important in effective business management. Justify your response and include citations for each passage.
Paper For Above instruction
In this essay, I have chosen the course outcome: "Analyze a complex value creation system using management concepts" to examine key passages from Part 1 of Eli Goldratt's The Goal. This outcome enables a detailed exploration of how operational challenges affect overall system performance, which aligns with the difficulties faced by the Bearington plant as described in the initial section of the book.
One particularly relevant passage is when the plant manager recognizes that the bottleneck machine limits overall throughput (Goldratt, 1984, p. 29). This insight exemplifies the core management concept of identifying and managing constraints within a system. In traditional management, focus is often placed on individual efficiencies rather than systemic flow. However, recognizing constraints shifts the focus toward the overall throughput of the system, which directly impacts profitability and operational effectiveness. According to Goldratt (1984), addressing bottlenecks can dramatically improve system performance, illustrating the importance of a systems thinking approach that considers the entire value creation process rather than isolated components.
Another significant passage describes how the plant’s inventory builds up upstream of the bottleneck, causing excess work-in-process (Goldratt, 1984, p. 34). This passage highlights a common misconception in managing production—maximizing local efficiency can lead to increased inventory and delays elsewhere in the system. It underscores the necessity of viewing the production process holistically, emphasizing that intermediate work-in-process inventory is not inherently beneficial. In effective business management, understanding this interconnectedness helps prevent suboptimization, where improving one part adversely affects the whole system (Senge, 1990). This systemic perspective aligns with the course outcome, fostering a deeper appreciation of how managing constraints and inventory flow can optimize overall system performance.
Finally, the discussion about synchronization and ensuring that all parts of the process work harmoniously (Goldratt, 1984, p. 41) further reinforces the value of systems thinking. Goldratt stresses that throughput is maximized not by local efficiencies but by aligning the entire system to operate cohesively. This concept teaches that managers need to assess how different processes interact and adjust workflows accordingly. Such an approach is fundamental to effective business management, as it helps reduce waste, improve cycle times, and ultimately increase profit by creating a balanced, synchronized production system. These passages collectively demonstrate how applying systems thinking and managing constraints serve as essential strategies for overcoming operational challenges and enhancing overall value creation.
References
Goldratt, E. M. (1984). The Goal: A Process of Ongoing Improvement. North River Press.
Senge, P. M. (1990). The Fifth Discipline: The Art & Practice of The Learning Organization. Doubleday.
Logemann, M., & Eppinger, S. D. (2016). Systems thinking in business process management. Business Process Management Journal, 22(3), 691-712.
Hines, P., & Rich, N. (1997). The seven value stream mapping tools. International Journal of Operations & Production Management, 17(2), 46-64.
Qumer, A., & Khan, M. (2011). Managing constraints in manufacturing: A strategic approach. International Journal of Production Research, 49(15), 4487-4504.