Theory of Constraints Thinking Processes: A Copy Shop Case Application

Abstract

ABSTRACT This paper illustrates an application of a portion of Eliyahu M. Goldratt's Thinking Processes, a set of tools that are part of his Theory of Constraints body of knowledge, by using them to examine the operational problems encountered by a local franchise unit of a large copy shop chain and to posit solutions. The problems noted by the local franchise unit were mapped into a Current Reality Tree, a diagramming process used to reveal the singular root cause of observed problems. That diagram deduced the problems were caused by the fact that the local unit had not embraced the corporation's recent repositioning strategy into its own activities, decisions and requests. The root cause was then, in turn, used as the basis to create an Evaporating Cloud, a diagramming process that reveals the logical conflicts interfering with root cause removal. The Evaporating Cloud deduced that the local franchise unit had not embraced the repositioning strategy because it believed that if it did so, the division of its resources would cause it to achieve neither short-term goals nor the repositioning strategy. An Evaporating Cloud also facilitates the generation of possible actions to resolve the conflicts and it was used to do so. Several secondary recommendations for improvement in efficiency were also made, based on the direct observation of routine operations while collecting the requisite information to conduct the Thinking Process analysis