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Theory of Constraints for Services: Past, Present, and Future

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Service Systems Implementation

Abstract

Theory of constraints (TOC) is a thinking process and a set of management applications based on principles that run counter to conventional wisdom. TOC is best known in the manufacturing and distribution sectors where it originated. Awareness is growing in some service sectors, such as Health Care. And it’s been adopted in some high-tech industries, such as Computer Software. Until recently, however, TOC was barely known in the Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services (PSTS) sector. Professional services include law, accounting, and consulting. Scientific services include research and development. And Technical services include development, operation, and support of various technologies. The main reason TOC took longer to reach PSTS is it’s much harder to apply TOC principles when services are highly customized. Nevertheless, with the management applications described in this chapter, TOC has been successfully adapted for PSTS. Those applications cover management of resources, projects, processes, and finances.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Two Lincoln Centre, IBM Corporation, Oakbrook Terrace, IL, 60181, USA

    John A. Ricketts

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  1. John A. Ricketts
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Information Systems, W. P. Carey School of Business, Main Campus PO BOX 874606, Tempe, 85287, Arizona, USA

    Haluk Demirkan

  2. IBM Research - Almaden, Harry Road 650, San Jose, 95120-6099, California, USA

    James C. Spohrer

  3. IBM Almaden Research Center, San Jose, 95120-6099, California, USA

    Vikas Krishna

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Ricketts, J.A. (2011). Theory of Constraints for Services: Past, Present, and Future. In: Demirkan, H., Spohrer, J., Krishna, V. (eds) Service Systems Implementation. Service Science: Research and Innovations in the Service Economy. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-7904-9_7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-7904-9_7

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4419-7903-2

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4419-7904-9

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