Theory of constraints and linear programming: a comparison

SUMMARY Since initial work done by Goldratt in the mid-1980s and as the concepts related to the theory of constraints (TOC) have become more developed, many have concluded that the TOC approach offers nothing in addition to what can be accomplished through linear programming (LP). Through the use of an example, this paper compares TOC to LP and clarifies the differences surrounding the TOC philosophy and the LP technique