Foundational Reading
The intellectual foundation behind our methodology
Dr. Coleman's landmark book established the principles that guide CCG methodology
Richard M. Coleman, Ph.D.
AMACOM - 1995 - 195 pages
The 24-Hour Business: Maximizing Productivity Through Round-the-Clock Operations
The 24-Hour Business challenges the most fundamental assumption in modern operations: that the workday ends at five o'clock. Authored by Dr. Richard M. Coleman — a former clinical assistant professor at Stanford University Medical School, co-director of the Stanford Sleep Disorders Clinic, and founder of Coleman Consulting Group (CCG) — this landmark work argues that there are 8,760 hours in a year, and most organizations use only a fraction of them effectively. This book redefines what a "schedule" actually is: not merely a shift length or a day-off pattern, but a comprehensive system for deploying capital and personnel with employee buy-in and specific work, pay, and coverage policies.
"There are 8,760 hours in a year. How many companies use all
those hours as effectively as they could?"
At the heart of the book is CCG's signature three-circle framework, illustrating how the "Best Cost Schedule" — and often there is more than just one "Best Cost Schedule" — lies at the intersection of three equally important elements: business needs, employee desires, and health & safety considerations. Drawing on research spanning more than 150,000 shift workers, CCG's change management methodology offers a practical, data-driven approach to evaluating workloads, modeling schedules, and achieving the right balance. CCG methodology also dismantles the myth of the 40-hour workweek mindset. Separating the business schedule from the employee schedule creates dramatic efficiencies that conventional thinking simply cannot see.
The methodology that CCG brings to every client engagement flows directly from the principles Dr. Coleman established in this book. When CCG analyzes a company's workforce deployment, assesses overtime exposure, designs shift structures, or builds the case for a new scheduling model, it is applying the same rigorous, evidence-based framework documented here. The book serves as both the intellectual foundation and the practical roadmap for CCG's consulting approach — ensuring that every recommendation is grounded in decades of research, real-world case studies, and a deep commitment to improving both organizational performance and the quality of life for the people who power round-the-clock operations.