Elihayu Goldratt has become something of a phenomenon in the business world, and as I read ‘Critical Chain’ (the first of his books that I read), I could see why.
The first thing I found striking about ‘Critical Chain’ was that it’s written in the present tense, which not only gives it a forceful immediacy but is a confronting contrast with almost every other business book I have read (which are written in the past tense), perhaps to reinforce its contemporary relevance in business.
Critical Chain - Elihayu Goldratt
Goldratt’s style and structure are layered with the principles that he aims to convey in the book and by writing Critical Chain as a business novel, he easily relates great examples of the strategies and skills he is sharing with the reader.
Goldratt artfully articulates his points with strong statements and clear examples, but he adds even more value for business readers by weaving in clever subtleties, such as the difference in business between official answers and unofficial answers.
With multiple levels of business examples interacting with each other throughout the book, Goldratt adds an incredibly effective multiple perspective to the educational value of “Critical Chain’. If the reader doesn’t understand one perspective, Goldratt has that perspective’s characters interacting with other characters, so the reader can draw the value of the information from numerous other perspectives from the other characters.
‘Critical Chain’ included new uses and new ways of viewing and interpreting for Gannt charts, PERT diagrams optimization problems, and the critical path in a supply chain or project chain. I read Critical Chain not knowing these terms, but Goldratt has identified the common uses of them and explains them easily to an uninformed reader, then shows how to use them effectively in business for better results.
Goldratt also explores the relationship between ‘real world businesses’ and teriary business education providers with remarkable insight and obvious experience. He immerses us in the challeneges of university business schools, some of which are run like good businesses, some run like poor businesses. Whether you have attended university or not, Crticical Chain is a straightforward read and a valuable tool for broadening your awareness of how to improve your business.
Don't pay too much for Goldratt's Critical Chain!
If you are in Australia, then caveat emptor (buyer beware!) – I paid $37.95 for this at Dymocks and from a US price of $19.95, the price for Critical Chain is already significantly cheaper online!
