The Goal: Chapters 1-4

“The Goal: Chapters 1-4”

Al Rogo is a plant manager for a company called "UniCo." He has been employed with UniCo for six months, and the plant's efficiency is continuously regressing. The lack of productivity has needlessly caused the company to lose out on money. Not getting orders shipped by their deadlines is a prominent problem for the plants inadequate performance. Bucky Bernside, one of UniCo's reoccurring customers, placed an order that was to be filled at Rogo's plant, seven weeks prior to the day's date. Unsatisfied, Bernside calls to complain to the division's vice president, Bill Peach, who is also Rogo's boss. Peach, then, travels to Rogo's plant, giving him an ultimatum; either fix the plant, increasing productivity in three months, or have the plant shut down.

Rogo decided his first order of business was to finish Bernside's order, and have it shipped by the end of the day. The machinist broke one of the main machines needed for the project, and then quit, leaving it uncertain as to whether his intentions were deliberate or accidental. Luckily, there was no major damage done, and the machine was able to be fixed with the materials the company already had. Unfortunately, the company was still down their best machinist. After an entire work day, Rogo and his team got the order completed and shipped by 11:00p.m. Although pleased that Bernside's order has been completed, Rogo realizes that he cannot continue running the plant without making quick changes.

Bill Peach conducts a required meeting amongst his managers and staff. Rogo assumes that this meeting will analyze the poor performance of the division during the first quarter, and also demonstrate new strategies, involving targeted goals, for a new productivity drive. Rogo discovers, however, that Peach is in a predicament; he has been given a year to turn the company around. Failing