Welcome

At some point in the past Leibnitz and Newton discovered calculus. We've all used it in high school, many of us never quite understanding the point of integration or differentiation. Two groups of people really do get the point, however. One group we shall call 'engineers'. They build things. They interact with the physical world and use calculus as a tool for predicting how structures will behave and to ensure that they are built correctly. Another group we shall call 'theoreticians'. They are far more interested in the fact that calculus was discovered. They dedicate themselves to understanding the technique itself, pulling it apart, generalizing it, showing its limitations and its applications to entirely new areas of mathematics. They may have no idea how calculus was involved in the design of the bridge they are walking over; they have no interest in applying this tool but are fascinated by the effectiveness of the tool itself.

At some point in the past Eli Goldratt discovered the Theory of Constraints. Since then a generation of 'engineers' around the world have applied the techniques he derived in many different organizations and industries. They have achieved striking successes. Some have even adapted the techniques for particular environments. Very, very few, however, have taken the trouble to examine the Theory itself and to treat it as a discovery. There are almost no 'theoreticians' whose aim is to pull the Theory apart, to generalize it, to find its limitations and to expand it.

The aim of this wiki is to provide a forum for discussion of the principles, rather than the practices, of the Theory of Constraints. The views should be those solely of its authors and not necessarily of the organizations of which they are members. This should be such an impractical discussion that no one feels that trade secrets are being divulged or that aspersions are being cast on individuals. This is all about theory, from the Greek, theorein, to see. Discussions on this site should help us see more deeply why the Theory of Constraints works.

To get started you will need a wikidot account. Click on 'create account' at the top of the screen.

When you have an account then click 'Discussions' on the left to see the list of current topics. Click a topic to see the main article and any comments posted about it. To add your own comment, click 'New post'. To create your own topic on the Discussions page, click 'Create a new thread'.

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