3. Spirit of the Theory of Constraints

3.1 Throughput target

The throughput of any system or process is limited by the capacity of just one of its resources. This resource, known as the "constraint", "bottleneck" or "scarce resource", is the lever for improving and steering the entire system or process.

• This capacity limit can be of several types:

  • physical: a resource or skill whose nominal capacity is less than the absorption capacity of the system or process customer;

  • organizational: these are management rules and strategic choices resulting from an analytical approach to the situation, which have the effect of limiting the nominal flow of the system or process;

  • ...