Business Excellence Book Review

Business excellence: the integrated solution to planning and control
Phil Robinson BPI (The Business Performance Improvement Consultancy)
I 997, 226pp., £ I4.90
ISBN 0 952 8885 05:

Any company that is seeking to move towards business excellence must start with education at the top management level, states Phil Robinson. An excellent starting point would be the book itself.

Although this is not the normal detailed academic textbook, it covers most of the techniques involved in achieving business excellence. It has that added unmistakable ring of being written by someone who has been deeply involved in the successful implementation of these principles.

The approach taken shows clearly that to achieve excellence in business there are many interconnected steps-no magic process, but just a long and carefully driven road. This book charts that road, not just by describing the techniques, but with observations built in to make one wary along the way

The areas worked through are those associated with what can only be termed a fully integrated MRPII system. The business plan, sales and operation planning, master production scheduling, materials requirement planning, capacity requirements planning and vendor relationships and are all covered in detail, with their interconnection clearly shown.

The areas of data accuracy, performance measures and implementation are especially stressed as being of key importance.

In short: recommended, down-to-earth reading for both students and practitioners in manufacturing without the evangelistic hype that too often accompanies terms such as business excellence'.

HARRY CATHER CEng, MIIEE University of Brighton

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