To manage the constraint, it must be identified and exploited (i.e., performance must be maximized subject to the constraint). All other actions are subordi nate to the exploitation decision. Finally, to improve performance, the constraint must be elevated. The process is repeated until the constraint is eliminated (i.e., it is no longer the critical performance-limiting factor). The process then begins anew with the resource that has now become the critical limiting factor. Using this method, lead times and, thus, inventories can be reduced