Alex Rogo is a harried plant manager working ever more desperately to try and improve performance. His factory is rapidly heading for disaster. So is his marriage. He has ninety days to save his plant - or it will be closed by corporate HQ, with hundreds of job losses. It takes a chance meeting with a colleague from student days - Jonah - to help him break out of conventional ways of thinking to see what needs to be done.

Described by Fortune as a 'guru to industry' and by Businessweek as a 'genius', Eliyahu M. Goldratt was an internationally recognized leader in the development of new business management concepts and systems. This 20th anniversary edition includes a series of detailed case study interviews by David Whitford, Editor at Large, Fortune Small Business, which explore how organizations around the world have been transformed by Eli Goldratt's ideas.

The story of Alex's fight to save his plant contains a serious message for all managers in industry and explains the ideas which underline the Theory of Constraints (TOC) developed by Eli Goldratt. Written in a fast-paced thriller style, The Goal is the gripping novel which is transforming management thinking throughout the Western world. It is a book to recommend to your friends in industry - even to your bosses - but not to your competitors!

Wine connoisseurs, gardeners, and home winemakers will find the latest techniques and varieties discussed in the updated edition. With thorough, illustrated instructions, readers learn how to choose and prepare a vineyard site; construct sturdy and effective trellising systems; plant, prune, and harvest the right grapes for a particular climate; press, ferment, age, and bottle wine; and judge wine for clarity, colour, aroma, body, and taste. With this update, Jeff Cox also explains how to select and grow grapes so that home winemakers can create their own sparkling wine, ice wine, port-style wine, and dessert wine.

Biochar, charcoal made from wood or another type of biomass, has become the new darling of organic gardeners, embraced for its outstanding abilities to enrich the soil and improve plant growth. Gardening with Biochar is the first comprehensive guide to understanding, making, and using it effectively in the home garden. In this highly accessible handbook, long-time garden writer Jeff Cox explains what biochar is and provides detailed instructions for how it can be made at home, along with specific guidelines for using it to enrich soil, prevent erosion, and enhance plant growth. Now widely available at garden centers, biochar is also being lauded for its ability to sequester carbon in the soil, making it good for the health of the planet, as well as the plants.

Written in a fast-paced thriller style, The Goal, a gripping novel, is transforming management thinking throughout the world. It is a book to recommend to your friends in industry—even to your bosses—but not to your competitors.

Alex Rogo is a harried plant manager working ever more desperately to try improve performance. His factory is rapidly heading for disaster. So is his marriage. He has ninety days to save his plant—or it will be closed by corporate HQ, with hundreds of job losses. It takes a chance meeting with a professor from student days—Jonah—to help him break out of conventional ways of thinking to see what needs to be done. The story of Alex’s fight to save his plant is more than compulsive reading. It contains a serious message for all managers in industry and explains the ideas, which underline the Theory of Constraints (TOC), developed by Eli Goldratt.

One of Eli Goldratt’s convictions was that the goal of an individual or an organization should not be defined in absolute terms. A good definition of a goal is one that sets us on a path of ongoing improvement.

Pursuing such a goal necessitates more than one breakthrough. In fact it requires many. To be in a position to identify these breakthroughs we should have a deep understanding of the underlying rules of our environment. Twenty-five years after writing The Goal, Dr. Goldratt wrote “Standing on the Shoulders of Giants.” In this article he provided the underlying rules of operations. This article appears at the end of this book.

The 30th Anniversary edition represents the first time the narrative in The Goal has been substantially updated. Goldratt’s Five Focusing Steps have been added, and his essay, “Standing on the Shoulders of Giants,” is included. The Fortune Small Business interviews (known by some as the “case studies”) that appeared in the 20th and 25th Anniversary editions have been removed from the book, but are available on this website.

Millions of readers remember The Goal, the landmark business novel that sets forth by way of story the essential principles of Eliyahu Goldratt's innovative methods of production. Now, from the AGI-Goldratt Institute and Jeff Cox, the same creative writer who co-authored The Goal, comes VELOCITY, the book that reveals how to achieve outstanding bottom-line results by integrating the world's three most powerful continuous improvement disciplines: Lean, Six Sigma, and Goldratt's Theory of Constraints. Used by the United States Navy and United States Marine Corps to dramatically improve some of the most complex, logistically vast supply chains in the world, the VELOCITY APPROACH draws on the strengths of all three disciplines to deliver breakthrough performance gains. In physics, speed with direction is velocity; in business, the application of VELOCITY means your organization can achieve operational speed with strategic direction to outmaneuver competitors, gain loyalty with customers, and rapidly build sustainable earnings growth -- in as little as one or two business quarters. Dee Jacob and Suzan Bergland, two princi-pals of AGI, have been teaching the concepts, techniques, and tools of VELOCITY to major corporations, including Procter & Gamble, ITT, and Northrop Grumman, for years. Now they unlock the door for you to see how to apply their insights and methods to your organization -- be it business, not-for-profit, manufacturing, or service based -- in order to shorten lead times, slash inventories, reduce production variability, and increase sales. Writer Jeff Cox returns with the vivid, realistic style that made The Goal so readable yet so edifying. Thrust into the presidency of the subsidiary company where she has managed sales and marketing, Amy Cieolara is mandated by her corporate superiors to implement Lean Six Sigma (LSS) in order to appease a key customer. Assigned to help her is LSS Master Black Belt Wayne Reese, installed as her operations manager. But as time goes on and corporate pressure mounts, Amy finds she has to start thinking for herself -- and learning from everyone around her -- and she arrives at the series of steps that form the core of the VELOCITY APPROACH. VELOCITY offers keen insight into the human and organizational factors that so often derail growth while teaching you proven, practical techniques for restarting and revving up the internal engines of your company to reach new levels of success. Colorful characters, believable situations, and everything from dice games to AGI's reality tree techniques make this business novel a vital resource for everyone seeking to deliver business improvement in these challenging economic times -- and far into the future.

Written in a fast-paced thriller style, The Goal, a gripping novel, is transforming management thinking throughout the world. It is a book to recommend to your friends in industry - even to your bosses - but not to your competitors.

Alex Rogo is a harried plant manager working ever more desperately to try improve performance. His factory is rapidly heading for disaster. So is his marriage. He has ninety days to save his plant - or it will be closed by corporate HQ, with hundreds of job losses. It takes a chance meeting with a professor from student days - Jonah - to help him break out of conventional ways of thinking to see what needs to be done.

The story of Alex's fight to save his plant is more than compulsive reading. It contains a serious message for all managers in industry and explains the ideas, which underline the Theory of Constraints (TOC), developed by Eli Goldratt.

Most managers know that revitalization in their companies must occur from the ground up. But how to get that message to employees without applying the kind of pressure that makes them even less productive? The answer is empowerment. In this motivating book, you will find specific strategies designed to help you encourage responsibility, acknowledgment, and creativity so that employees feel they "own" their jobs. It's all here, in an accessible guide for the successful managers of tomorrow.

This volume by Jeff Cox gives the reader a glimpse into the dark and imaginative side of the Author as well as his multi-faceted style of writing poetry. Born in Fort Worth, Texas on May 22, 1962. Jeff has been writing poetry since he was 20.

Beer is just a beverage, but wine is an experience. There's an aura of romance, a hint of the sublime, to bringing a bottle up from your own cellar, carefully drawing out the cork, pouring the wine into a goblet, and taking the first delectable sip.

Now Jeff Cox, author of From Vines to Wines (89,000 copies in print) and a connoisseur well respected in wine circles, shows you how easy it is to have a wine cellar of your own.

But Cellaring Wine is not a home-building project book. In some cases, the would-be wine collector doesn?t have to do much building at all. Rather, Cellaring Wine teaches anyone who loves wine how to create a working system of selecting wines that will age well, know how to lay them down properly, and recognize when they have matured to their full glory and are ready to be savored.

Cox pinpoints the optimum conditions of temperature, light, and humidity for a wine cellar. He walks you through possible locations for your wine cellar ? whether in the basement, an old root cellar, the back of your garage, or even a closet or room in your house ? and what each location requires. He explains when you?ll need a climate-control device (and how much they cost). And he discusses the pros and cons of buying a freestanding unit that is much like a refrigerator.

Then Cox tackles the question that most troubles wine lovers: Which wines will improve with age, and which won?t? This chapter alone is worth the price of the book, since nothing is more disappointing to a wine lover than waiting years to open a bottle of wine only to discover that it was at its peak when it was laid down.

Cox shows you how to keep accurate records so you know at a glance ? without having tohunt through the wine racks ? what you have, where it's located, and how much to buy so the cellar doesn?t become depleted. And he gives you a crash course in appreciating the fragrance and flavor of a fine wine.Perhaps best of all, Cox gets readers excited about the possibilities of having their own wine cellar. After all, a cellar is not just a storage room, it's a university where good young wines become great.

Praise For The Cure

"The Cure is valuable. . . a great read and an insightful depiction of the journey involved in executing the management principles of successful companies in this decade."
–Bob Bond, President, Automation Group, Parker-Hannifin

"Using Enterprise Medicine, Coleman went from dead stop to warp speed in eight months. Reading The Cure provides great insight into the journey required to accomplish this kind of turnaround. It’s a must-read for any president who needs to rapidly change the business he’s leading."
–Bill Phillips, CEO & President, The Coleman Company, Inc.

"The Cure works. I’ve used the process to dramatically change the culture of two companies. By breaking down silos and building company-wide strategy ownership, you will be surprised by the amount of creativity and commitment that can be rapidly produced."
–Randy Larrimore, President & CEO, United Stationers

"Having lived through the ‘common cold’ of organizational dysfunction, The Cure artfully describes the prescription that helped heal and create a team that focused on results, leadership, and winning."
–James Raskin, Vice President Business Development
Black & Decker Inc.

"The Cure unwinds the complexities of the dysfunctional patterns within our organizations and proves that change is possible. The sensitive issues needn’t remain unspoken. Success, both corporate and personal, is truly possible."
–Debbra Johnson, Market Development Manager
DuPont Safety & Protection

The country's leading expert on organic food delivers the ultimate guide to the new culinary health movement--feasting on fermented probiotics, from artisanal cheese to kimchi. In his extensive career as a bestselling cookbook author and TV garden-show host, Jeff Cox has always been keenly aware of the microbiology that helps his garden flourish. He has long known that microbes keep our bodies healthy as they ferment food, releasing their nutritional power and creating essential vitamins and enzymes. In "The Essential Book of Fermentation," Cox shares a bounty of recipes for nourishing the internal "garden." Simplifying the art and science of fermentation, Cox offers a primer on the body's microbial ecosystem, complemented by scrumptious recipes, and easy-to-follow pickling and canning techniques. Basics such as bread and yogurt help readers progress to wine, cheese, and a host of international delicacies, including kim chi and chow chow. Inspiring and innovative, "The Essential Book of Fermentation" serves up great taste along with great health on every page.

Jeff Cox displayed his remarkable gift for translating complex theories into entertaining stories as the coauthor of Zapp! and The Goal. Now, in collaboration with sales and marketing guru Howard Stevens, CEO of the H. R. Chally Group, he tells a story in the style of an ancient parable to reveal vital lessons gleaned from decades of research on salespeople and customers -- lessons that will help you identify the right way to sell successfully.

Selling the Wheel recounts the story of Max, the resourceful fellow who invented the Wheel and found himself faced with the challenge of convincing people to accept his breakthrough innovation. In so doing, it demonstrates four essential selling styles, each requiring a distinctly different type of salesperson and selling approach. As Chally's research clearly shows, no company can be all things to all customers: sales tactics and strategies must change as technologies and markets mature to reflect new values demanded by customers. Written with humor and filled with practical insights, Selling the Wheel will be treasured by managers, salespeople, and entrepreneurs everywhere.

" I hate Mondays."
" They say I'm responsible, but my boss makes all the decisions."
" We're supposed to work as a team, but everybody's out for themselves."
Sound familiar? You don't have to take it anymore
In HeroZ, you'll actually have fun learning how to survive and even thrive in today's work world. Step-by-step techniques--proven by thousands of companies around the globe--show you how to make meaningful decisions, measure your progress, and work efficiently in teams. By the time you finish reading HeroZ, you'll feel that you control your job, not that your job controls you.
Millions of leaders have been energized by its bestselling predecessor, Zapp : The Lightning of Empowerment. The Wall Street Journal declared that " Zapp helped redefine the genre" of business books. Fortune magazine's reviewer raved, " I couldn't put it down."
Now, with HeroZ, you can restore meaning and purpose to your work life and make a real difference--no matter where you fall on the organizational chart

In this dynamic, helpful, guide William C. Byham takes his Zapp! empowerment principles and adapts it for the classroom with workable, hands-on advice for how educators can get their students (and themselves) excited about education again. He shows how to get students to take responsibility for their own progress by involving them in decision-making; encouraging them to think for themselves; and fostering trust, creativity, and hunger for new challenges. Innovative, accessible, and fun to read, ZAPP! IN EDUCATION offers essential guidance for teachers, school administrators, school board members, and support staff.