About this Presentation
The purposes of this presentation are to assess TOC as a complete methodology; explore links with other methodologies, e.g. OR/MS and systems (Senge’s systems archetypes); and to suggest new directions for TOC (and its usage with other methods). How do we establish TOC tools as a comprehensive research methodology? Where it is recognized it is set next to OR/MS tools and systems dynamics and systems thinking tools. The last few days we have discussed templates for example in distribution. A template provides a set of circumstances to solve a given situation. We are trying to give students a set of tools to give them problem structuring capabilities. A methodology is a structured set of diagrams, a paradigm (a model for thinking), a constellation of concepts, a systematic set of ideas and methods, etc. In academia we must do a better job of discussing the nature of the methodology. This paper classifies various tools of TOC based on its methodological characteristics. It provides a causal loop diagram and evaporating cloud classification. An example of smoking versus not smoking is shown in a simple causal loop diagram then in a cloud then from the cloud a more well-defined causal loop diagram then from the cloud the resulting current reality tree with matched assumptions.
What Will You Learn
To help you get the most value from this session, we’ve highlighted a few key points. These takeaways capture the main ideas and practical insights from the presentation, making it easier for you to review, reflect, and apply what you’ve learned.
TOC is a comprehensive methodology that provides a set of tools and methods that contribute to every dimension of problem solving and decision making.
TOC can be compared and used in conjunction with other methodologies, providing greater insights when used with other methodologies, especially when those methodologies are related.
TOC should be taken seriously by management science academics to bring it into the mainstream academic realm. It has a proper philosophical base and can be established as a methodology.
Instructor(s)
John Davies
Ms Alka Wadhwa
Alka Wadhwa is an experienced consultant and process improvement expert with over 24 years of expertise in the Theory of Constraints (TOC), Lean Six Sigma, and organizational performance optimization. She has successfully led projects in healthcare, financial services, and manufacturing, driving significant improvements such as a 67% boost in hospital operations and a 140% increase in outpatient visits.
Previously, Alka Wadhwa spent 17+ years at GE Global Research Center, where she led initiatives to enhance various GE businesses through advanced technologies, process redesign, and system optimization. Founder of Better Solutions Consulting, LLC, she specializes in using TOC, Six Sigma, and data analytics to streamline operations and build high-performance teams.
Her work has earned her multiple accolades, including the Empire State Award of Excellence in healthcare.
Dr Gary Wadhwa
Dr. Gary Wadhwa is a Board Certified Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeon with extensive experience in the field. He completed his Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery training at Montefiore Hospital, Albert Einstein College of Medicine in Bronx, NY, and has served as an Attending at prestigious institutions like St. Peters Hospitals, Ellis Hospital, and Beth Israel Hospital in NY. With a career spanning over two decades, he was the former CEO and President of a group specialty practice in NY from 1994 to 2015. Dr. Wadhwa holds an MBA from UT at Knoxville, TN, and has undergone additional training in System Dynamics at MIT, Health System Management at Harvard Business School, and Entrepreneurship and healthcare innovations at Columbia Business School. Committed to expanding access to Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery care, he is currently engaged in a meaningful project to provide healthcare services to underserved populations in inner city and rural areas through non-profit Community Health Centers.