ABSTRACT
The entry describes the impact of “weak links” in the supply chain. Coverage includes the Theory of Constraints (TOC) and its application. Related tools are labeled as “constraint management” or “synchronous flow.” The entry describes protective capacity to mitigate the impacts of the weak link constraint. It also reveals types of constraints: physical, policy, and paradigm. The reader is introduced to the drum‐buffer‐rope concept from TOC, a model for the synchronized supply chain that can be implemented through TOC’s “five focusing steps.”
