About Dr. Alan Barnard

Professional Info

Dr. Alan Barnard is one of the world’s leading Decision Scientist and Theory of Constraints’ experts. Alan, a serial entrepreneur, is the Founder and CEO of Goldratt Research Labs, a company he co-founded in 2008 together with Dr. Eli Goldratt, creator of Theory of Constraints. There was an immediate connection between Alan and Eli after their first meeting in 1993. Alan and Eli were both curious about understanding why good people make and often repeat bad decisions within their life and in managing organizations. They were also both passionate about applying a robust scientific approach to developing new Thinking & Decision making methods and advanced Technologies to help people make better, faster decisions – decisions that move them closer to their goals.

Today, Alan works as a Strategy advisor, Researcher and Theory of Constraint (TOC) expert and educator, with both Fortune 500 companies as well as NGO’s and Government Agencies. His clients include Microsoft, Cargill, Tata Steel, Nike, ABB, BHP, Cisco, South32, SAP, Intel, Penguin Random House, BC Rail, Larsen & Toubro, Premier Foods, Fujitsu, Habitat for Humanity, UNDP, UNWFP and Utah Governor’s Office of Management and Budget.

Alan holds a B.Sc. in Industrial Engineering (Cum Laude, 1991) and MsC and PhD in Management of Technology & Innovation (MOTI). His PhD thesis was titled “How to identify and unlock inherent potential within organizations (private & public) and individuals?”

Alan is very active in a number of Non-Profit Professional Organizations and Universities within his fields of interest. Alan is the former President of SAPICS (www.sapics.org), and former chairman of TOCICO (www.tocico.org). Alan is also the Chairman of Odyssey Institute (www.tocoydssey.org), a Non-Profit organization he co-founded with Dr. Eli Goldratt in 2005. Alan also serves as board member of BHP’s Science and Innovation Council (www.bhp.com) and frequently serves as field supervisor of PhD students and guest lecturer at the DaVinci Institute and Duke University.

Alan’s Awards

Alan has received a number of Awards over the years in recognition of his contribution to his fields of expertise and the Professional Organizations in which he has served.

• In 1991, Alan received South Africa’s National Productivity Institute’s Award
• In 2006, Alan received the TOCICO Lifetime Achievement Award in 2006
• In 2010, Alan received the Top PhD Research Award for his PhD titled “How to identify and unlock the inherent potential within organizations and individuals”
• In 2013, Alan’s Harmony Change Maker App was nominated as a finalist for the Silicon Valley Business App Awards
• In 2015, Alan received an Innovation Award from Washington State University, for his invention of the ProConCloud method.
• In 2017, Alan was awarded the Top Innovator Award by the JT Foxx Coaching organization, representing over 25,000 entrepreneurs and coaches around the world.

Alan’s Citations

High Reliability for a Highly Unreliable World

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A collection of books and articles that Dr. Alan Barnard has been cited.

Alan’s Network

Over the past 25 years, Alan has been fortunate to be mentored, to work with and to share research and management insights with incredible entrepreneurs, business leaders and scientist from around the world…