The Big Books   These books contain an enormous amount of information covering multiple topics.  While these books are not inexpensive their extensive content makes them each equivalent to several books. These books are gigantic, ranging in size from 900 to 1200 pages each. You're probably not going to want to try to read any of them from cover to cover, but if you run into a topic you need to be up to speed on, you are likely to find it covered in these books.  I highly recommend these books as a starting point for your reference library. Each of these books are actually collections of chapters written by different authors. This does result in some redundancy from one chapter to another and some inconsistency in the quality of each chapter. Nonetheless you'll certainly appreciate having these around.
	Production and Inventory Control Handbook.  Materials Managers, Production Planners, Purchasing Professionals.  Put out by APICS this is the definitive reference on inventory management.  With 30+ chapters written by separate authors it covers most aspects of inventory management including product data management, production planning, inventory models, forecasting, purchasing, inventory accuracy, resource management, systems implementation.  Designed as a reference book, you can easily read only the chapters which apply to your operations.  Since each chapter is written by a different author you will find there is quite a bit of redundancy from one chapter to the next. Available at Amazon or Barnes&Noble or APICS.
	The Distribution Management Handbook   Distribution Managers, Warehouse Managers, Operations Managers, Executives.  Put together by Tompkins Associates consulting firm I consider this the definitive reference on distribution management.  Like the Production and Inventory Control Handbook, this book is also a result of contributions from various experts (over 40).  It covers in detail all aspects of distribution, including marketing, customer service,  warehousing, material handling, inventory accuracy,  transportation management, facilities design and maintenance.  Available at Amazon or Barnes&Noble.
	The Warehouse Management Handbook   Distribution Managers, Warehouse Managers, Warehouse Supervisors, Operations Managers, Also  by Tompkins Associates consulting firm, The Warehouse Management Handbook is a great resource for anyone involved in operating a warehouse.  Like the other Big Books, this book is also a result of contributions from various experts, and therefore you can expect some redundancy.  It covers all aspects of warehousing, including warehouse design, material handling equipment, process design,  and distribution network design.   Available at Amazon or Barnes&Noble.
Back to Top Manufacturing/Inventory Management Also see The Big Books
	Purchasing  Buyers, Planners, Materials Managers.  Great introduction to the purchasing function. This easy-to-read text quickly covers the key activities related to purchasing and inventory management; including everything from reorder techniques, to negotiating techniques, to purchasing law. The style of this book is reminiscent of texts published in the early part of the 20th century that focused on quickly getting new managers and clerks up to speed on specific business topics.  It avoids the hype of most business books and the pretentious style of most college texts by sticking with short, concise, plain English, treatments of the multitude of topics covered. The nominal price of this book is a purchasing lesson in itself.   Available at Amazon or Barnes&Noble
	Principles of Inventory and Materials Management.   Materials Managers.  I would describe this as a technical book on the science behind inventory management.  Much of the book is dedicated to detailing formulas and models used to determine order quantities, lot sizing, demand forecasting, safety stock calculations.  Real examples make understanding these complex formulas easier.  The book also describes the logic behind MRP and discusses Just-In-Time and Theory of Constraints.  I would not recommend this as an introductory book to inventory management but rather a book for those that already have some basic understanding of inventory management and want to take their knowledge to a higher level.  I expect to be referring back to this book for years to come.  Available at Amazon or Barnes&Noble.
	Practical Management Science.   Materials Managers, Operations Managers.  Management Science (also known as Operations Research) is basically the mathematics behind business decision-making.  Historically, management science books have been perfect examples of impossible-to-read college text books filled with complex mathematical expressions very few of us are capable of interpreting (I have several collecting dust on my bookshelf). Practical Management Science is different in that it steps your through all the problems using Microsoft Excel and several Excel addins (limited license versions included on CD) such as Solver and Risk. This way, even if the text is a little unclear on the logic, you can always look at the example in Excel and figure out the logic. I am absolutely convinced this is the best way for most of us to get a grasp of management science. This isn't to imply this is a "dummies" book, which it is not. At over 900 pages (large pages with small text) this is hardly an quick intro. I already own a couple editions of this text and will likely continue to purchase newer versions as long as they keep updating it.  Available at Amazon or Barnes&Noble.
	World Class Production and Inventory Management Production Planners, Materials Managers, Plant Managers,  I would highly recommend this book to anyone new to inventory management in a production environment.  It does a good job of covering the key concepts behind inventory management and production planning. This book is easy to understand and can be read from cover to cover in a short amount of time. Available at Amazon or Barnes&Noble
	Orlicky's Material Requirements Planning. Production Planners, Materials Managers, Plant Managers,  Without question this is the classic MRP text. Originally written in 1975, this 1994 updated version covers the basic logic and setup of MRP. Though most production and inventory management books cover MRP, they tend to cover it so quickly that if you didn't already understand MRP, you probably still won't after reading them. Orlicky's Material Requirements Planning moves more slowly and provides much more detail. It's also written in an easy to understand style that makes it great for beginners. The book is not perfect, however. I would have liked to see more details on some topics such as planning bills and phantom bills. Though these are covered, I don't think they are given adequate detail. Also the structured approach that would lead you to believe you must have a formal Master Production Schedule (MPS) to run MRP is misleading (this is a common problem with  virtually all MRP books). MRP can run fine being fed directly by the forecast in certain environments. Probably the most important reason to read this book is the simple fact that it is likely the people that designed your MRP software used this book as a roadmap. Available at Amazon or Barnes&Noble
	Implementing World Class Manufacturing: A Bridge to Your Manufacturing Survival-Shop Floor Manual  Anyone associated with manufacturing. This is a great how-to book on implementing manufacturing techniques generally associated with Japanese production systems. Written in an easy to read format with plenty of diagrams, forms, and photos, Implementing World Class Manufacturing takes you step-by-step through the implementation process. For those unfamiliar with JIT, Manufacturing Cells, Kanban, Kaizen, Cross-functional Teams, Total Productive Maintenance, and Setup Reduction you will find this book does a great job of explaining these techniques as well as giving detailed instruction on how to use them. This is one of those rare books that is designed to be used equally by managers and the employees on the shop floor. Available at Amazon or Barnes&Noble.
	Fundamentals of Flow Manufacturing  Anyone associated with manufacturing. Though the title states "fundamentals", I think this book goes beyond that in its treatment of flow.  I don't like "theory" books so I was very pleased with the practical approach taken by the authors. Most lean/JIT books cover flow, but rarely in enough detail; Fundamentals of Flow Manufacturing does a good job of balancing adequate detail without overloading the reader. I also have to complement the authors on sticking to the topic and not getting sidetracked into other lean topics. Of particular interest are the detailed calculations associated with setting up flow lines and kanbans. I also appreciated the discussion of the implications of manufacturing software and flow. This book is very well organized and a moderately quick read.  Available at Amazon or Barnes&Noble
	Manufacturing Facilities Design and Material Handling  Plant Managers, Operations Managers.   Written for those of us who do not have engineering degrees this book does an excellent job of discussing the concepts behind  facilities design, material handling, and storage in a manufacturing environment.  Making good use of graphics to enhance the text this book presents a complex topic in an easy to understand format.  Anyone considering opening a new facility or redesigning an existing one would benefit from reading this book.  Available at Amazon or Barnes&Noble
	Quick Response Manufacturing: A Companywide Approach to Reducing Lead Times  Plant Managers, Operations Managers, Executives.  Quick Response Manufacturing (QRM) is a manufacturing strategy for implementing speed throughout the manufacturing process, including often-neglected areas such as quote processing, engineering, product development, order processing.  Although QRM builds on the principles of Total Quality Management (TQM), Just-in-Time (JIT), and others, it takes a unique approach by focusing all efforts on lead-time reduction. At it's core is a move to cross-functional work cells and self-directed teams.   QRM challenges (in some cases attacks) the cost-based decision making, functional departmentalization, and localized performance measurements which have become standardized in business during the 20th century. Since the benefits of QRM are not easily quantified many executives may see the move to QRM as somewhat of a leap of faith, and, to some extent, it is (I'll admit there are at least a couple of statements that made be feel a little queasy ). The author does an excellent job of documenting a variety of real-world examples and gives extensive details on the implementation process. I think this is an excellent book and would highly recommend it to anyone involved in manufacturing and especially to those in make-to-order or engineer-to-order operations Available at Amazon or Barnes&Noble
Back to Top   Inventory Accuracy
My Book	Inventory Accuracy: People, Processes, & Technology Inventory Accuracy: People, Processes, & Technology is a comprehensive treatment of Inventory Accuracy and Cycle Counting in distribution, fulfillment, and manufacturing environments. I have long known that many businesses struggle with accuracy and are often unclear as to what they should be doing to improve operations. The interest I have received on the articles I have written related to inventory accuracy inspired me to write what I like to refer to as "the ultimate resource on inventory accuracy." Rather than just writing a little book on cycle counting or bar coding, I decided to write a book that not only comprehensively covers these topics, but also goes beyond bar codes and cycle counts to cover many other key facets of accuracy. For more detailed information, sample pages, and ordering information go to www.accuracybook.com. Direct order Link. Also available at Amazon, Barnes&Noble
Back to Top Warehousing/Distribution/Logistics Also see The Big Books
	Warehouse Distribution and Operations Handbook  Warehouse Managers, Operations Managers, Warehouse Supervisors.   This is cover to cover pure warehousing and material handling, addressing the concepts and methods available for storage and movement of materials within the warehouse. From loading dock, to storage, to order picking, this book conveys facilities design and equipment options in an easy to understand format. Comprehensive, easy to read, and lots of graphics. I have quite a few books dealing with warehouse design, equipment, and operations but this is definitely my favorite. Available at Amazon or Barnes&Noble
	World-Class Warehousing and Material Handling This  book quickly covers the most common methods and equipment used to receive, move, store, pick, and ship materials within a warehouse environment. Much of the book focuses on the order-picking process, which makes it a good choice for fulfillment operations.  Of particular interest is the detailed info on slotting as well as an objective discussion of the pros and cons of automation.  The size of the book (only 233 pages) results in somewhat brief treatments of the various topics.  On the plus side, this makes it a quick read for someone wanting to become familiar with warehouse operations, on the minus side you may find that you need to go to another resource to get more detailed info on a specific topic. The book is very up to date on technology issues including mentions of RFID, voice, and virtual reality systems.  Consultants and material handling professionals should find the reference to "Captain Carrousels" amusing.  Although I disagree with a few of the author's conclusions, I would definitely recommend this to anyone looking to upgrade or improve current warehouse operations or those designing new warehouses.  Available at Amazon or Barnes&Noble
	The Time, Space & Cost Guide To Better Warehouse Design This is a rather unique book on warehouse design in that it combines some basic warehouse design content with highly detailed information related to costs and time standards. It's this cost and time standards content that sets this book apart from any other warehouse design book I have encountered. Certainly a valuable resource for anyone with responsibilities for running or designing a warehouse. Available at Amazon
	Selecting Warehouse Software From WMS & ERP Providers  This book should be the first step in your WMS project. With the variety of functionality now offered by WMS providers it can be a daunting task to try to understand what a WMS does and (more importantly) what a WMS can do for your operation. Not only does the author cover standard functionality of WMS, he takes it a step further by pointing out “Differentiators” and “Common Deficiencies”.  These insights can prove to be incredibly valuable during the selection and implementation processes. The book is essentially a detailed report on WMS functionality with an additional section on the selection process (including step-by-step instructions and sample documents). The format makes it easy to simply open the book to a section on a specific type functionality and quickly get up to speed on key issues related to that topic. Yes, it may seem a little pricey, but in the context of the overall costs associated with a WMS project, it’s a minuscule price to pay to increase your chance of getting it right.. Available at Amazon or Author's Site
	Warehouse Safety: A Practical Guide to Preventing Warehouse Incidents and Injuries.  Warehouse Managers, Warehouse Supervisors, Operations Managers,  Plant Managers, Safety Committee Members.    I just can't say enough good things about this book.  Highly comprehensive in dealing with a broad range of safety issues within a warehouse environment, Warehouse Safety is an excellent source for information on safe operating procedures.  Like many other other warehouse and plant managers, I had struggled over the years trying to accumulate enough relevant safety information to ensure I was providing a safe work environment.  The more I learned, the more I realized how fortunate I have been in not having any serious accidents during my "ignorant years".  Knowing how long it took me to build my knowledge and awareness of safety issues makes me appreciate even more the value of a book like this.  The author does an excellent job of not only covering potential hazards but also providing suggestions on physical and procedural methods used to reduce or eliminate these hazards.  Every warehouse should have this book available to its supervisors and staff and I strongly encourage managers and supervisors to read the book in its entirety as well as periodically reviewing the book to keep safety issues fresh in their minds.  There is much more to warehouse safety than a forklift training program and I feel confident that those new to warehousing as well as experienced professionals will find this book enlightening.  Available at Amazon (special order).
	A Practical Guide to Transportation and Logistics   Shipping personnel or anyone with responsibilities related to shipping/transportation would be will served to read this book.  As with previous editions of this book, the newly released 3rd edition does not disappoint. I came across the first edition years ago while searching for a “shipping 101” type book that could be used as an educational tool to those new to shipping/transportation. This excellent updated version quickly covers the topics of what you need to know about shipping and receiving product, and does not waste time on some of the more obscure theoretical topics related to logistics. It's very obvious that the author, Michael B. Stroh has extensive hands-on experience in operating a traffic department and does an excellent job of translating that experience into this easy to read yet comprehensive guide. Of particular value will be the tips on negotiating rates and discounts, auditing freight bills, and export documentation.   Available at Amazon or Barnes&Noble or Author's Site
	How to Buy a Forklift: Forklift 101.  This easy to read little guide (you can read the entire guide in an hour or two) provides basic information on forklifts and gives helpful tips on evaluating a truck prior to purchase.  Although it can be useful in any purchase it primarily focuses on the purchasing of used equipment.  It also tends to focus more on internal combustion than electric vehicles and primarily on the standard sit down counterbalanced forklift.  It does a good job of describing common repairs and the costs associated with them, something usually overlooked by buyers.  While promoted as a guide for first time forklift buyers I think that even veterans will find useful tips.  The author also provides a price guide (sold separately) and offers a service for determining prices of equipment as well as repair information. Available at  Barnes&Noble or Author's Site
Back to Top     Bar Code/Auto ID Also see Inventory Accuracy
	The Auto ID Book   Anyone interested in initiating some type of automatic data collection should read this little guide.  The Auto ID Book gives an introduction to the types of technology available and their applications.  Most bar code books jump right into the technical aspects of barcoding and leave most novices totally confused.  This book is written to give some basic information that can quickly get you started in automated data collection.  You won't be an expert after reading this book but you should come away with a basic understanding of auto ID and its applications.  This book is not available from Barnes and Nobles or Amazon but can be purchased through the Wasp Bar Code website where you can also read the text only version of this book online for Free.  I still recommend buying a copy (its very cheap) which includes all of the graphics.
	The Bar Code Book  If you've read the Auto ID Book (above) and are looking for more information on bar-coding, you'll find The Bar Code Book is a great second book.  The book is very well organized and contains technical information about bar-code symbologies, readers, and printers.   Available at Amazon (special order)
My Book	Inventory Accuracy: People, Processes, & Technology Since I devoted a large portion of my book to the use of bar codes, voice, light, and RFID technologies in warehouse and inventory management processes, I thought I would include it in this category. Inventory Accuracy: People, Processes, & Technology is a comprehensive treatment of Inventory Accuracy and Cycle Counting in distribution, fulfillment, and manufacturing environments. I have long known that many businesses struggle with accuracy and are often unclear as to what they should be doing to improve operations. The interest I have received on the articles I have written related to inventory accuracy inspired me to write what I like to refer to as "the ultimate resource on inventory accuracy." Rather than just writing a little book on cycle counting or bar coding, I decided to write a book that not only comprehensively covers these topics, but also goes beyond bar codes and cycle counts to cover many other key facets of accuracy. For more detailed information, sample pages, and ordering information go to www.accuracybook.com. Direct order Link. Also available at Amazon, Barnes&Noble
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Problem Solving / Root Cause Analysis. Though very important, problem solving and root cause analysis are not exactly the most exciting topics. Since most of you (like me) have little interest in reading a couple of 500 page books on quality management, I looked for some  easy to read (and short) books that quickly cover this essential topic.
	The Root Cause Analysis Handbook: A Simplified Approach to Identifying, Correcting, and Reporting Workplace Errors.  This book does an excellent job of quickly covering conventional root cause analysis. With an emphasis on documentation, the author takes you through a series of steps that include defining the problem, methods for collecting data and gathering information, analysis of the problem, and ultimately developing corrective action. This book moves very fast, reading more like a slide-show presentation than a book, yet the author is able to communicate a lot of good information using this minimalist approach. Rather than detailing numerous analysis methods, the author keeps it simple by sticking with a fixed path to problem solving. I found the "Pitfalls of ..." sections after each topic very insightful. In addition, the collection of forms, tables, and checklists included in the book (great appendix) are excellent. Don't look for case studies here, this is a straight forward how-to book. Available at Amazon, Barnes&Noble
	Apollo Root Cause Analysis: A New Way of Thinking   Apollo is the name given by the author to his unique approach to root cause analysis. I'm assuming this (Apollo) explains why there is a naked man on the cover, either that or this is the most unique author photo I have ever seen. The book focuses on causal relationships, emphasizing that there are often many causes (factors) contributing to an undesirable outcome. The author's insights on casual relationships and human behavior are extraordinary, it is obvious he is passionate about this topic and has had extensive experience with it. In addition to explaining " A new way of thinking", the author details specific tools (his own version  of a cause-and-effect chart) that are the core of the Apollo method. And just when I started thinking that it would be great if there was software available to do this, he mentions that he has such a product available. There were a few things I didn't like about the book. In fact, after receiving the book, the combination of the naked dude on the cover (which still creeps me out) and the opening paragraph in the "How to read this book" section which you just have to say "Duh!" to, almost convinced me to not read the book at all. In addition, the branding of "Apollo" throughout the book ( frequent references to "the Apollo method", "the Apollo process", "Apollo tools") made some sections read like scripts from an infomercial. These are minor gripes though, and I'm glad I got by them and took the time to read this excellent book. Definitely a worthwhile read. Available at Amazon, Barnes&Noble
	101 Creative Problem Solving Techniques.  As the title states, this is a collection of techniques for creative thinking and problem solving. The author did stretch it a bit to make the 101 count since many of the techniques are only slight variations and others are just plain wacky (my opinion). Fortunately, you don't really need 101 problems solving techniques, so you can ignore most of them and just pick the ones that inspire you. There's no doubt that creative thinking is hard to come by in the business world and anything that can help in inspiring creativity is well worth investigating. The author covers everything from group brainstorming methods, to various charting and mapping methods, word association, and even software products. Available at Amazon, Barnes&Noble
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General Business and Misc.
	Thinking Inside the Box  Anyone interested in business. I admit I bought this book because of the title. I am so annoyed with repeaters constantly spouting off about "thinking outside the box" and other "clever" little catch phrases they pick up in magazine articles, books, and management seminars, that I just had to get this book once I saw the title.  Despite the humorous title, this book is actually a solid business book. The only humor here is in the utter stupidity and arrogance of management in some of the case studies.  The book starts out by making the case that there is rarely anything "new" in business (something I've believed for a long time). It then goes on to essentially discuss the basics of business. The subtitle, The 12 Timeless Rules for Managing a Successful Business probably more effectively describes the content (but I doubt I would have bought it with that title). What I really liked about the book is the way it quickly covered the topics with a rapid-fire series of organized case studies. The diversity of case studies ranging from Enron, Microsoft, AOL and Webvan, to McDonnel Douglas, Fed Ex, American Express, and GE made for some very interesting and thought provoking reading. Granted, the "12 timeless rules" are things you probably already knew, but that's not the point. Just because you know something doesn't mean you are using that knowledge in your decision-making. This book makes you think, and I believe that is its greatest value. Anyone about to make important business decisions should read this book first. Available at Amazon, Barnes&Noble
	The Road to Manufacturing Success: Commonsense Throughput Solutions for Small Business Written by Richard T. Lilly, President and CEO of Lilly Software Associates, The Road to Manufacturing Success documents the history of the Author, the various software and hardware companies he's been involved with including early days with IBM, the history of information systems, American manufacturing, and most importantly the evolution (and lack of evolution) of manufacturing software systems.  Going back 50 years it gives insights into the evolution of computer software and hardware and controlling factors that have shaped the industry including insight as to how decisions made in the early design process of manufacturing software over 30 years ago (including known deficiencies designed in due to inadequate hardware processing capabilities of the time) are still a part of many current MRP systems.  Make no mistake, The Road to Manufacturing Success is essentially an extensive promotional brochure for Lilly Software Associates manufacturing software. Although primary focus is placed on production planning/scheduling in a Manufacture-to-order environment, I think anyone involved with manufacturing software from plant managers to software programmers will find this book an interesting read.   This book is fairly small (only 150 pages) and can be casually read in 2 to 3 evenings. Available at Amazon or Barnes&Noble
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Story time OK, I don't like these books, I can't read them, they irritate me to no end, BUT I'm very aware that there are a lot of people that don't share my view on this. These are all business novels; they attempt to impart knowledge of specific business strategies by having you "experience" the successes and failures of make-believe characters in pretend companies. You follow these characters from business meetings to the shop floor to the garage to the tavern to . . . Now I have no doubt that there is useful information in these books, I just don't want to have to read through a soap opera to find it. I don't care if the afternoon was reddish-gold, Mark is lonely without Cheryl, Russ is a husky blond, Sam's office has a mountain view, or Julie thinks Stacey is a floozy (I'm not making this stuff up). But enough of my whining. As I said before, there are a lot of people that love these books and have learned a lot through reading them. That is why I chose to include them in this list. I can't personally recommend them because I can't get myself to actually finish reading them (except for the "Joe's Garage" book, but that one is only a 45-minute read).
	The Goal.  The Goal may not be the first book to try this format but it certainly was the most successful. It's been around for almost twenty years and still a bestseller. The goal introduces readers to the Theory of Constraints. In it's simplest form, TOC is a strategy that seeks to optimize operations by focusing primarily on bottlenecks. The author does take the bottleneck principle beyond the obvious and develops methods to exploit them.  Available at Amazon or Barnes&Noble
	Enterprise Sales and Operations Planning. This new release takes the business novel format and applies it to sales and operations planning. It is an attractive book, very clean and well laid out, and contains more specific "how-to" details (charts, tables, etc.) than you'll find in other factory fairytales such as The Goal.  Sales and operations planning basically encompasses the planning and managing of demand, supply, and capacity (resources). Available at Amazon or Barnes&Noble
	All I need to know about Manufacturing I learned in Joe's garage. Let me re-title this one:  I learned about the problems associated with batch-type sequential operation manufacturing by building some lousy shelves in Joe's garage. This is really just a booklet (less than 100 small pages and big type) that explains one of the key principles of lean manufacturing by walking you through the process of building shelves in the boss's garage. If you need to be spoon-fed Lean manufacturing, this is the book for you. I can see this as being a useful tool to introduce shop-floor employees to work cells and one-piece flow. I have to say that I had some real problems with the basic concepts of the shelves. With the availability of more effective wire shelving, steel cabinets, and plastic cabinets, it makes little sense to build wooden shelves in your garage. Alright, maybe I'm nitpicking, but it really irritated me.  Available at Amazon or Barnes&Noble
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Quick Guides. The following 3 books are all written by J. David Viale and are part of the Fifty-minute series of books.  These are inexpensive books ($10 to $15 each) which do an decent job of quickly covering the key concepts related to each topic.  Designed as workbooks with exercises at the end of each chapter these can be a used as  part of an internal training program.  I am very impressed with the amount of information covered in these easy to read little guides.
	Basics of Inventory Management: From Warehouse to Distribution Center Anyone involved with inventory.  Introduction to some of the basics concepts and terminology used in inventory management including reorder point, economic order quantity (EOQ), safety stock as will as basic forecasting and inventory accounting. Available at Amazon or Barnes&Noble                     Basics of Manufacturing: Fundamental Concepts for Decision Makers Production Planners, Plant Managers, Operations Managers, Materials Managers  Primarily deals with production planning, good intro to MRP. Available at Amazon or Barnes&Noble                       JIT Forecasting and Master Scheduling  Production Planners, Master Schedulers, Materials Managers  Good introduction to forecasting and master scheduling.  Available at Amazon or Barnes&Noble
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