Free Critical Chain: A Business Novel by Eliyahu M. Goldratt

money but to make money.

Out loud I say, "It's a simple fact that they try to cut the budget by a few percent and cause the payback period to double."

"Yes, I give you that, but it's not so simple. We have to assume a distribution of investment throughout the lifetime of the project. Then we have to assume another distribution of net income from the result of the project, the profit of the Malaysian plant in this case. We should also factor in interest and inflation. Depreciation of the machines and the lifetime of the products that the plant in Malaysia produces. The mathematical modeling will be quite involved." He raises his hand to stop me from replying.

Then he sits down and says, "Tell you what. It's a good idea. Too good to let it pass without checking. Find out what is already published on that subject and if we can find a crack I'll persuade Johnny to do the mathematical work. You know how good he is at that. It might work. Yes, it might."

"Don't you think that we should add it to the survey article? It will enable us to support the mathematical model with some real-life examples."

"We don't have to combine the two things into one article in order to support the model with case studies. As a matter of fact, I can make some telephone calls to my students from last year and you can ask your students. Maybe we can gather enough of the missing data to write a third article."

I'm uncomfortable with it. It shows, because Jim bursts out laughing. "Rick, Rick, when are you going to grow up? Join the real world? You never combine two articles into one; you always try to turn two into more."

He comes around to pat me on the back. "One day we'll make a mensch out of you," and he heads out. As he opens the door to leave he asks, "Did the class rebel because of the homework assignment you gave them?"

"Almost," I smile.

"It will be another excellent article. We are cooking." And with those words of wisdom, he leaves my room.

"Jim, wait a minute. Jim." He doesn't hear. I hurry after him, catch him near the elevators (it's amazing how fast he walks), take him aside, and ask the question that has bothered me since my last brief discussion with Miriam.

"I heard there are some rumors about a budget cut," I'm careful not to reveal my source. "Do you think it might jeopardize my chances of getting tenure?"

"Don't worry, Rick."

"But, I am. You know how important it is to me. I'll never get a third chance."

"Richard, it's okay! You'll get your tenure. You earned it fair and square. Everybody thinks so. I personally checked with everybody on the committee. It's not the tenure that should bother you, it's the promotion to full professor. You are way behind on publications. So will you start to concentrate on what counts? Work on those articles. They are your future."

"And what about the budget cuts?"

"Relax. There are some games between B.J. and the dean. High politics. But, I assure you, it has nothing to do with you." And he disappears into the elevator.

Chapter 9
     
     
    "How many of you are familiar with PERT and Gantt techniques?"
     
    Almost everybody raises their hand. "What do you mean by ‘familiar'?" Ruth asks.

For lack of a better answer I say, "Good working knowledge."

"Then, I'm afraid, I'm not familiar."

"Ruth, I don't mean that you did a Ph.D. dissertation on it. Have you ever come across a Gantt chart?"

"Yes, more than once. Still a brief review would be helpful."

From the look on the other students' faces, I see that Ruth is not the only one who would like a review. Frankly, I didn't expect this; they should have learned the basics in undergraduate courses. I have such a good collection of real charts, with which I could demonstrate every possible configuration. It's a pity I don't have them with me. Should I go to my office to fetch them? It's a waste of valuable time. I'll improvise. No big deal.

"Let's take a very simple example, just enough to demonstrate the concepts."
    "Good," Ruth remarks. They