My system does not make sense at all, but by God it’s working. - Eliyahu M. Goldratt

What can I possibly do to be more competitive? I’ve done cost reduction. No other manager in this division has cut costs to the degree I have. There is nothing left to trim. And, despite what Peach says, my efficiencies are pretty damn good. He’s got other plants with worse, I know that. But the better ones don’t have the competition I do. Maybe I could push efficiencies some more, but . . . I don’t know. It’s like whipping a horse that’s already running as fast as it can.

Companies are so immersed in the mentality of saving money that they forget that the whole intention of a project is not to save money but to make money.

You’re right,” I say. And then, “It’s a little odd to call the market or the system of material release a bottleneck. Why don’t we change the word, to . . .” “Constraint?” Stacey suggests. We correct it on the board. Then we just sit there admiring our work.