The Goal Part 3
This week is a continuation from Week 8 and Week 9, in which you use critical thinking skills to analyze business issues from the business novel The Goal. You will analyze the relevance of systems thinking concepts described in the book to effective business practices.
To prepare for this Discussion:
· Read pages 237–337 (Chapters 29–40) of The Goal.
· As you read this part of the book, consider passages that contain ideas that you find compelling and particularly relevant to effective business management. You will select at least three passages to discuss this week.
o Consider how management challenges were often misunderstood because some managers could not see beyond their own paradigms. Think about how some of the most effective actions focused on the system, and the policy constraints, rather than the immediate, local issues.
· In addition, consider how understanding these concepts might have influenced your past decision making.
Post your analysis of The Goal, to include the following:
· Identify three or more short passages from this week’s assigned reading in The Goal that contain one or two essential ideas that you found compelling and explain why each passage you chose is relevant to and important in effective business management. Be sure to include the citation for each passage in your explanation.
· Then, reflect on and complete this statement based on your own experience: “If I had only known this back when…”
Improving Business Performance
Week 9 Learning Resources
System Thinking and Social Change
Using these resources, you will explore how applying systems thinking principles can be used to promote positive social change. As you review these resources, consider how you might apply systems thinking to create change. How might these concepts benefit the greater good?
· Hernández, A., Ruano, A. L., Marchal, B., San Sebastián, M., & Flores, W. (2017). Engaging with complexity to improve the health of indigenous people: A call for the use of systems thinking to tackle health inequityLinks to an external site. . International Journal for Equity in Health, 16(1), 26–31. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12939-017-0521-2
· Stroh, D. P. (2014). Systems thinking for social change: Making an explicit choiceLinks to an external site. . Reflections, 14(3), 35–42.
· Stroh, D. P., & Zurcher, K. (2012). A systems approach to increasing the impact of grantmakingLinks to an external site. . Reflections, 11(3), 31–43.
Ethical Consideration
Through these resources, you will investigate how the application of systems thinking principles and tools can assist managers in understanding and mitigating ethical dilemmas. As you review these resources, consider some ethical concerns that you may have encountered in your personal and professional life. Can you think of any ways in which systems thinking principles could have done anything to address or alleviate those concerns?
· Bardoel, E. A., & Haslett, T. (2006). Exploring ethical dilemmas using the “drifting goals” archetypeLinks to an external site. . Journal of Management Education, 30(1), 134–148. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1052562905280836
· Noga, T., Pant, L. W., & Shaw, L. (2011). Recalibrating ethical dilemmas using the “fixes that fail” archetypeLinks to an external site. . Journal of Business Ethics Education, 8(1), 115–118.
· Steele, R., & Derven, M. (2015). Diversity & inclusion and innovation: A virtuous cycleLinks to an external site. . Industrial and Commercial Training, 47(1), 1–7.
· Werhane, P. H. (2002). Moral imagination and systems thinkingLinks to an external site. . Journal of Business Ethics, 38(1/2), 33–42. https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1015737431300
Important Documents and Resources for the Week
Goldratt, E. & Cox, J. (2014). The goal: A process of ongoing improvement (4th ed., pp. 124–236). North River Press. Note: This resource will be used for this week’s Discussion.
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Improving Business Performance
Week 8 Learning Resources
The Theory of Constraints
Through these resources, you will explore the subject of the Theory of Constraints. TOC was developed by Eliyahu Goldratt and first presented in his book, The Goal (originally published in 1984). The objective of TOC is to prevent “constraints,” referred to as bottlenecks, from limiting the throughput (i.e., production rate) of an organization. This is accomplished through managing constraints as opposed to attempting to eliminate them.
· Cox, J. F. III. (2015, August). Unlocking the service sectorLinks to an external site. . Industrial Engineer, 47(8), 30–35.
· Cox, J. F. III., Robinson, T. M., & Maxwell, W. (2016, February). Unconstraining a doctor’s officeLinks to an external site.. Industrial Engineer, 48(2), 28–33.
· CorrectionLinks to an external site. . (2016, March). Industrial Engineer, 48(3), 11. Note: This article simply contains a brief correction to the Unconstraining a Doctor’s Office article.
· Dalton, M. A. (2009). What’s constraining your innovation?Links to an external site. Research Technology Management, 52(5), 52–64
· Fox, K. (2012). Seeing the forest for the trees: Theory of constraints reduces cost of governmentLinks to an external site. . The Public Manager, 41(3), 10–13.
· Hsu, P.-F., & Sun, M.-H. (2005). Using the theory of constraints to improve the identification and solution of managerial problemsLinks to an external site. . International Journal of Management, 22(3), 415–425.
· Monteiro, V. (2018). TOC in the emergency roomLinks to an external site. . Industrial and Systems Engineering at Work, 50(7), 38–42.
· Weiss, E. N. (2004, February 20). A brief note on the theory of constraints . Darden School Foundation, University of Virginia. https://hbsp.harvard.edu/
Throughput Accounting
Using these resources, you will explore the concept of throughput accounting, which is a method of increasing productivity and generating more income and profit. When people in traditional accounting and finance roles lead the budgeting process, there can be more opportunities for wrong decisions to be made, especially when there is an overemphasis on costs. By applying throughput accounting principles, you can gain a more comprehensive and enlightened perspective on decisions that need to be made within an organization by increasing the focus on throughput.
· Albright, T., Lam, M. (2006). Managerial accounting and continuous improvement initiatives: A retrospective and frameworkLinks to an external site. . Journal of Managerial Issues, 18(2), 157–174.
· Corbett, T. (2006). Three-questions accountingLinks to an external site. . Strategic Finance, 87(10), 48–55.
· Kadhim, H. K., Najm, K. J., & Kadhim, H. N. (2020). Using throughput accounting for cost management and performance assessment: Constraint theory approachLinks to an external site. . TEM Journal, 9(2), 763–769. https://doi.org/10.18421/TEM92-45
· Kirli, M. (2016). Throughput accounting in strategic cost management: An applicationLinks to an external site. . Annals of Dunarea de Jos University. Fascicle I: Economics and Applied Informatics, 22(2), 78–87.
Combining the Three Systems: Leaning, Six Sigma, & Theory of Constraints
Through these resources, you will explore the benefits of combining the best of the three main continuous performance disciplines: Lean, Six Sigma, and the Theory of Constraints. This combination is referred to as the velocity approach. Each of these systems has strengths and weaknesses but, when used together, they can efficiently improve business performance.
· Aghili, S. (2011). Throughput metrics meet Six SigmaLinks to an external site. . Management Accounting Quarterly, 12(3), 12–17.
· Hudson, J. D. Jr. (2017, October). CL6 allows three shots at better improvement: Instead of bickering over methodologies, find synergies between theory of constraints, lean and six sigmaLinks to an external site. . Industrial and Systems Engineering at Work, 49(10), 43–47.
· Ioana, B. R. (2018). TOC, lean, six sigma are complementary?Links to an external site. Ovidius University Annals, Economic Sciences Series, 18(2), 389–394.
· Piraseth, R.M., Kannappan, S. (2013). The synergy of continuous process improvementLinks to an external site. . Industrial Engineer, 45(6), 41–45.
Important Documents
· Goldratt, E. & Cox, J. (2014). The goal: A process of ongoing improvement (4th ed., pp. 1–123). North River Press. Note: This resource will be used for this week’s Discussion.
· Document: Module 3 Assignment Template (Word document)
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Improving Business Performance
Week 10 Learning Resources
Personal Mastery
Using these resources, you will explore the concept of personal mastery and its significance in the development of leadership. As you review these resources, consider how you might apply the concept of personal mastery in your own life and within your organization.
· Cropper, B. (n.d.). Personal mastery—putting the “me” in leadership Links to an external site. . The Change Forum. https://www.thechangeforum.com/Personal_Mastery.htm
· García-Morales, V. J., Lloréns-Montes, F. J., & Verdú-Jover, A. J. (2007). Influence of personal mastery on organizational performance through organizational learning and innovation in large firms and SMEsLinks to an external site. . Technovation, 27(9), 547–568. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.technovation.2007.02.013
· Gregg Learning. (2018, February 9). Personal mastery in leadership Links to an external site. [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5KrKgjAbxpw
· Senge, P. M. (2006). Personal mastery. In The fifth discipline: The art and practice of the learning organization (pp. 129–162). Doubleday.