We are pleased to bring you a survey developed by Cynthia Kalina-Kaminsky who is investigating the nature of TOC implementations for her Industrial Engineering dissertation at the University of Texas at Arlington.

The survey asks for your experience with a TOC implementation that you are/were intimately involved with. We believe that the findings will be of particular interest to the TOC Community and request that you please take a few minutes to complete the survey.

There are THREE qualifications for taking the survey:

1. You must have actually worked (or are working) integrally on a TOC implementation in an organization
2. You must know the organization's culture, and
3. You should be able to answer comparative questions about the organization in the market.

Consultants may take the survey if they have had a hands-on TOC implementation and meet the above qualifications. Regardless of the results of the TOC implementation, your input is needed. Please comment on only one TOC implementation per survey. The survey takes approximately 15 minutes. Incomplete surveys will not be used.

CLICK HERE TO START THE SURVEY

If, after completing the survey, you would like a copy of the final executive summary of the findings, please email to: TOCresearch@hotmail.com.

This survey has been developed and directed by:
Cynthia Kalina-Kaminsky
Ph.D. candidate
The University of Texas at Arlington
TOCresearch@hotmail.com

Facilitated by Eli Schragenheim

For those of you who are long-time TOC fans and for those of you who would like to know more what TOC is all about, we have developed The TOC Riddle Corner which will be facilitated by world renown author and TOC & ERP expert, Eli Schragenheim.

The TOC Riddle uses fictional cases as a learning tool to sharpen your mind and allows you to gain new insights. In every issue you will receive a case or a riddle to solve. Each case will present a problematic situation and will ask you to pinpoint the problem and provide a solution or an approach to develop a solution. You are invited to look at the periodical case and share your thoughts and proposed solutions. In reality there is no school solution, so there should not be a school solution here - only your ideas and cause-effect relationships. You can use clouds and trees if you wish. You can also write your ideas in plain English.

The most interesting insights, along with Eli Schragenheim's own thoughts, will be published in next issue of TOC Update. Winners will be chosen based upon the best responses received. Each winner will receive a prize complements of Goldratt's Marketing Group.

TOC Riddle # 2: Is it so simple to determine the constraint? <CLICK HERE>

The winners for TOC Riddle #2 will receive a free PRIZE! Three of the Necessary & Sufficient CDs:

• Basic Assumptions of TOC
• Implementing TOC as a Holistic Approach
• Getting True Consensus from Top Management

Congratulations to Clarke Ching and Michael Carroll - Winners of TOC Riddle #1: Who Should be the next CEO?
Clarke Ching and Michael Carroll each provided key insights into solving this Riddle. Clarke and Michael each will receive the PRIZE! one TOC Self Learning Program for Managing People compliments of Goldratt's Marketing Group. Click here for Discussion for TOC Riddle #1: Who Should be the next CEO?

Goldratt's Goal: Just Keep It Simple, India, Inc.
TIMES NEWS NETWORK, February 14, 2004 MUMBAI INDIA: We asked Eliyahu Goldratt, management thinker and author of bestseller The Goal , what drew him to India. A puff on his trademark pipe and a smile later: If I told you, you wouldn't believe me, he says.

Dr. Goldratt was in Mumbai to speak on 'Viable Vision' at a seminar presented by ET (Economic Times). Goldratt's viable vision can translate into bringing up the company so that in less than four years, net profit equals its current total sales.

Dr. Goldratt's Theory of Constraints Viable Vision
April 21, 2004 - Buffalo, NY, USA // register
April 23, 2004 - Denver, CO, USA // register
May 28, 2004 - The Netherlands // register
June 24, 2004 - Seattle, WA, USA // register

2nd Annual Constraints Management Users Conference
Presented by:
Constraints Management Group & Constraints Management Systems
Dates: May 18-21, 2004
Location: Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada

Estonia, Lithuania, and Latvia
Heiti Pakk
Goldratt Baltic
Narva mnt. 7
Tallinn 10117
ESTONIA
tel. 372 62 77 061

LETTER FROM CHAIRPERSON TO MEMBERS - 24 th March 2004

Following a very productive board meeting of the new TOCICO board members in Seattle last month and 3 months of hard work by the TOCICO Sub-Committees, I am pleased to provide a brief progress update on the following TOCICO issues:

1. TOCICO Certified Membership
2. TOCICO Founder Pledges
3. TOCICO Certification Process
4. TOCICO Conference 2004
5. TOC for Education International Conference 2004