James F. Cox III; Michael S. Spencer

"The Constraints Management Handbook is an excellent attempt to unify the pieces in production: sorting through the fog of classification, the overlap between MRP, JIT and TOC, and clarifying the implications on one of the most important aspects-the measurements. On these topics they have done a comprehensive work. But they don't stop there. They also introduce the reader to the power of using logic in a systematic way-the thinking processes-so that more people will help in the effort to turn the field of management into a hard science."-Eli M. Goldratt, author of The Goal, It's Not Luck, and Critical Chain"I congratulate Jim Cox and Mike Spencer on an excellent book. As pioneers of constraints management in the academic community, it is fitting that they author the first comprehensive handbook on the topic. The book takes all the facets of constraints management: logistics, focusing steps and the thinking processes and presents them in an easy-to-understand and logical manner. The robustness of their real case study examples are excellent. If an organization or executive is considering embracing constraints management as part of their approach, this book along with The Goal is a must read."-John Covington, Chesapeake Consulting Inc.

• Section I: Constraints Management Logistics BasicsWhat is Constraints Management?The Production Planning and Control FrameworkThe Five-Step Focusing ProcessThe Drum-Buffer-Rope Scheduling MethodThe V-A-T Logical Structures AnalysisSection II: Case Studies of CM FacilitiesAn Overview of the Cases and AnalysisValmont/ALS Brenham, TexasThe Trane Company, Inc., Macon, GeorgiaStanley Furniture, Stanleytown, VirginiaSection III: Overview of Other CM ToolsThe Constraints Management Measurement SystemThe Constraints Management Thinking ProcessesIndex