H William Dettmer

The world is a complex system. Whatever part of it we inhabit or function in, everything within it is connected in some way to other components, both within and outside the part we occupy. Nearly all of the problems mankind experiences result from our inability to recognize intra- and inter-systemic connections... in other words, to THINK SYSTEMICALLY. This is particularly true of the massive, widely impactful problems we face. Unfortunately, systems thinking is not a part of most people's education, though it is probably the most crucial foundation for everything we do. Systems Thinking and Other Dangerous Habits aims to alleviate this widespread unawareness of the importance of viewing everything we think and do through the lens of systems. It begins with a review of some high-visibility systemic failures, segues into the history and basics of systems thinking, then examines some critical areas of systems knowledge, tools, and human motivation. This book is an introduction to systems thinking, pointing the reader to important topics worthy of more comprehensive research.

The world is a complex system. Whatever part of it we inhabit or function in, everything within it is connected in some way to other components, both within and outside the part we occupy. Nearly all of the problems mankind experiences result from our inability to recognize intra- and inter-systemic connections... in other words, to THINK SYSTEMICALLY. This is particularly true of the massive, widely impactful problems we face. Unfortunately, systems thinking is not a part of most people's education, though it is probably the most crucial foundation for everything we do. Systems Thinking and Other Dangerous Habits aims to alleviate this widespread unawareness of the importance of viewing everything we think and do through the lens of systems. It begins with a review of some high-visibility systemic failures, segues into the history and basics of systems thinking, then examines some critical areas of systems knowledge, tools, and human motivation. This book is an introduction to systems thinking, pointing the reader to important topics worthy of more comprehensive research.

The Logical Thinking Process - An Executive Summary is an executive-level overview of the Logical Thinking Process (LTP) originally developed by E.M. Goldratt. It explains what the LTP is and why it's useful to leaders, managers responsible for decision making at all levels, and interested individuals. This book contains examples of the LTP logic trees and descriptions of some actual applications.

In 2000, Schragenheim and Dettmer published the ground-breaking Manufacturing at Warp Speed. At the time, the cutting-edge ideas expressed were the original work of the authors and not well-known beyond the book’s audience. In the years that followed, Dr. Eliyahu Goldratt, father of the Theory of Constraints (TOC), adopted their ideas, added his own valuable insights, and popularized them worldwide.Supply Chain Management at Warp Speed serves as the sequel that refines and updates the former approach to production management with new ideas that complement earlier tactics. The authors’ prime motivation for writing this book was to integrate the TOC method for managing the distribution of finished goods with the acquisition of raw materials and the manufacturing process. The result is the first book to describe, in detail, the application of the TOC approach to assured availability in distribution, for both original equipment manufacturers and retailers. "State-Of-The-Art" in Applying Theory of ConstraintsThis cutting-edge reference broadens the scope of its predecessor by integrating manufacturing, distribution, and raw material management into a single end-to-end supply chain. It addresses the new demands taken on when a firm offers to handle rush orders. It also reviews the issues surrounding availability and the management of inventory moving through distribution systems.Fully illustrated, with numerous examples, case studies, and manufacturing scenarios, Supply Chain Management at Warp Speed provides TOC practitioners with the tools needed to address the performance issues of the entire supply chain and develop solutions that represent a win for the end-user as well as stakeholders along the entire supply chain.

A major rewrite of Dettmer's classic Goldratt's Theory of Constraints, this new edition presents a whole new approach to building and applying logic trees. The logical thinking process referred to in the title is nothing less than a broadly applicable, systems-level approach to policy analysis. Dettmer has streamlined the process of constructing the logic trees while simultaneously ensuring that the results are more logically sound and closer representations of reality than ever before. He explains an easier, more logically sound way to integrate Current Reality Trees with Evaporating Clouds. His new version of the thinking process "retires" the Transition Tree in favor of the marriage of a more detailed Prerequisite Tree and critical chain project management. This book contains new examples of logic trees from a variety of real-world applications. Most of the diagrams and illustrations are new and improved. Explanations and procedures for constructing the logic trees are considerably simplified.

Manufacturing systems don't exist in a vacuum, isolated from the rest of the company, but they are often managed that way. A truly effective, highly competitive manufacturing company integrates its manufacturing, marketing, sales, purchasing, and financial functions into a well-coordinated whole. Manufacturing at Warp Speed: Optimizing Supply Chain Financial Performance explains in detail how to coordinate all these functions to maximize sales revenue while controlling inventory and overhead costs. Ultimately, the effects of applying the new Simplified-Drum-Buffer-Rope (DBR II) introduced by the authors include dramatically faster manufacturing cycle times, shorter order-to-delivery lead times, higher on-time delivery reliability, and better customer satisfaction.The book gives you everything a typical production professional needs to implement this new DBR approach. A supplemental feature - the Management Interactive Case Study Simulator (MICSS) - is included with the book. Available for download via the CRC Press website, the simulator sets up a virtual company where you can test and practice the processes you learn in the book before implementing them in your organization. The book and software together constitute the complete package for learning how to streamline manufacturing operations. The first book available on second generation Drum-Buffer-Rope, Manufacturing at Warp Speed: Optimizing Supply Chain Financial Performance describes the simplest, most efficient methods for reducing manufacturing cycle time and increasing the speed of manufacturing yet devised. Fully illustrated, with numerous examples, case studies, and manufacturing scenarios, the book is so easy to read that even the novice can understand it. Correct use of this new method practically assures that your company has the competitive advantage.