Dr. Eli Goldratt
Dr. Eliyahu M. Goldratt
1947 – 2011
“I smile and start to count on my fingers: One, people are good. Two, every conflict can be removed. Three, every situation, no matter how complex it initially looks, is exceedingly simple. Four, every situation can be substantially improved; even the sky is not the limit. Five, every person can reach a full life. Six, there is always a win-win solution. Shall I continue to count?”
Eli Goldratt was an educator, author, scientist, philosopher, and business leader. But he was, first and foremost, a thinker who provoked others to think. Often characterized as unconventional, stimulating, and “a slayer of sacred cows,” Dr. Goldratt exhorted his audience to examine and reassess their business practices with a fresh, new vision.
Dr. Goldratt, founder of the Avraham Y. Goldratt Institute and Goldratt Group, was an internationally recognized leader in the development of new business management philosophies and systems. He was a sought-after educator by many of the world’s largest corporations, including General Motors, Procter & Gamble, AT&T, NV Philips, ABB and Boeing.
He was the author of “THE GOAL”, a best seller that utilizes a non-traditional approach to convey important business information–it is a business textbook written in novel form, disguised as a love story. The ideas illustrated in “THE GOAL” underscore Dr. Goldratt’s Theory of Constraints, an overall framework for helping businesses determine:
- What to change—not everything is broken
- What to change to—what are the simple, practical solutions
- How to cause the change—overcoming the inherent resistance to change.
On the subject of production, Dr. Goldratt also wrote “PRODUCTION THE TOC WAY“, a self-learning kit for manufacturers interested in applying TOC techniques and spreading them within their companies.
Dr. Goldratt wrote the sequel to “THE GOAL”, “IT’S NOT LUCK”. All aspects of the corporate structure are revealed in his unique way, as the Theory of Constraints peels away the common nonsense and reveals what lies hidden beneath our inertia.
Eli Goldratt’s novel, “CRITICAL CHAIN”, reveals the reasons projects never finish on time or within budget or within specs, and develops an alternate TOC approach to managing projects. The action in Critical Chain takes place in a university setting and also deals with the problem facing academic institutions with large graduate business programs – MBA programs that are not producing what businesses need.
“NECESSARY BUT NOT SUFFICIENT” was published in the Fall of 2000. This novel reveals that although new technology may be necessary in order to make major improvements, this technology is not sufficient to achieve results. Technology, by itself, does not make, but simply allows or creates opportunity for reality to change. For sufficiency, the rules must also be changed.
His last book in the logistics field is “ISN’T IT OBVIOUS.” A story about a family retail business and how they learn to combine buy-in techniques, replenishment to actual sales, and collaborative deals with their suppliers to reach remarkable results.
One of his last and most important books, “THE CHOICE” delves into the benefits of thinking clearly on the personal level, illustrated with business case examples.
In addition, he wrote several other books; “THE RACE”, “WHAT IS THIS THING CALLED TOC?”, “THE HAYSTACK SYNDROME”. He was a frequent contributor to scientific journals, magazines and business publications and sat on several editorial boards.
One of Goldratt‘s masterpiece is an eight session educational series: the GOLDRATT SATELLITE PROGRAM (now available on DVD and on CD-ROM as a Self-Learning Program). This series is a common sense approach to business that provides a global picture that illustrates how functions/departments fit together allowing managers to obtain a solid grasp of seeing the company as a whole. Following the Goldratt Satellite Program Dr. Goldratt teamed up with his son Rami Goldratt to create the TOC INSIGHTS. This interactive computer learning program is one of the best overall introductions to the applications of TOC. Project Management and Production were explored in detail in the GOLDRATT WEBCAST SERIES.
He obtained his Bachelor of Science degree from Tel Aviv University and his Masters of Science, and Doctorate of Philosophy from Bar-Ilan University. In addition to his pioneering work in Business Management and education, he held patents in a number of areas ranging from medical devices to drip irrigation to temperature sensors.
Also the founder of TOC for Education, a non-profit organization dedicated to bringing TOC ideals to teachers, Dr. Goldratt retired from the Goldratt Institute, intending to spend his time writing and lecturing. However, the urge to help companies improve won out.
In 2002 Eli Goldratt founded the Goldratt Group – Goldratt Consulting, Goldratt Schools and Goldratt’s Marketing – with the purpose of Making TOC the main way of managing organizations. The Goldratt Group aims to place any system, large or small, for profit and not for profit, on a process of ongoing improvement.
Goldratt Consulting is currently running large scale projects called “Viable Vision” in companies across the world. The Viable Vision serves as an effective platform to improve business productivity in Production, Supply Chain & Distribution, Project Management and Retail. Goldratt’s Viable Vision as a holistic approach enhances the quality of decision-making, improves communication and stimulates new solutions, providing benefits for the entire company.
Goldratt Schools role is the transfer of knowledge to organizations seeking to expand their knowledge in the Theory of Constraints and its applications.
Goldratt’s Marketing Group role is to make TOC knowledge available to different market needs. GMG has been producing and distributing TOC learning resources for individuals, such as books, videos and CDs, self learning programs, simulators, the GOLDRATT WEBCAST SERIES and www.TOC.tv.
On the road teaching and learning and writing, Eli Goldratt was active until his untimely death in June 2011.
His work continues through the companies he founded and the Theory of Constraints International Certification Organization.