Business War Games: How Large, Small, and New Companies Can Vastly Improve Their Strategies and Outmaneuver the Competition

by Benjamin Gilad

In a global, complex, and competitive world, developing a plan without testing it against market reaction is like walking blind into a minefield. War gaming is a metal detector for a company. Yet war games run by the large consulting firms are kept secret and cost millions. For the first time, this book makes them accessible to every product and brand manager, every project leader, every marketing professional, and every planner, no matter how small or large the company.

Business War Games will show you in steps and practical detail:



How to decide if war gaming is right for you
Which decisions call for war gaming
How to prepare, organize, and run a realistic and inexpensive war game
How to predict competitor moves with accuracy and little information
Why you do not need computers, consultants, software, or a PhD in math to do it well
This book is your bible of how to stay one step ahead of your competitors. Do not leave home without it.

Genres: Business, Nonfiction, Management

224 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 2008

Reviews

[Irene Martínez · Rating 3 out of 5]

🤔 Sentimientos encontrados.

Buenos consejos aunque a mi parecer muy técnicos, me falta el alma🔥🤷🏻‍♀️. Cómo dice el título es una “guerra en los negocios” pero no estoy tan convencida de que así deba ser en estos tiempos🙊.

[Keith Brooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really interesting, odd editing which is why I gave it 4 stars. References at times go nowhere and a chapter or 2 seem to just end. Shame as it is great otherwise.

[E · Rating 5 out of 5]

Action oriented manual

This short manual provides an action-oriented introduction to the art of the war game. Benjamin Gilad presents interesting anecdotes and examples from ancient and contemporary military and economic history. He offers a general description of the war-game process, the circumstances under which this role-playing exercise is appropriate, and tips on what to do and not do. He also supplies a detailed by-the-clock description of an exemplary war game. getAbstract finds that his book will help any manager who is considering using war gaming and is wondering how to start.

[Randy · Rating 4 out of 5]

A practical handbook on war gaming.

For me, the best chapters were the later ones. In the early chapters, Gilad makes the case for war games. In the middle ones he lays out the composition of the teams. In the late chapters he describes a few actual games from his past.

[Fresno Bob · Rating 2 out of 5]

I love wargames and simulations, and love business and scenario planning, but did not love this book

[Jason Mesiarik · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great recommendation from Mike McCarty