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The Art of War for Small Business: Defeat the Competition and Dominate the Market with the Masterful Strategies of Sun Tzu

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Sun Tzu's ancient The Art of War has inspired military, political, and business leaders across the world with its brilliant strategies for prevailing against opponents. At the core of this classic treatise is the message that sledgehammer approaches can backfire, and size alone does not guarantee wins. Strategy, positioning, planning, leadership--all play equally significant roles, making Sun Tzu's teachings perfect for small business owners and entrepreneurs entrenched in fierce competition for customers, market share, talent . . . for their very survival.

The Art of War for Small Business is the first book to apply Sun Tzu's wisdom to the small business arena. Featuring inspiring examples of entrepreneurial success, the book's 12 timeless lessons reveal how to:

● Choose the right ground for your battles
● Prepare without falling prey to paralysis
● Leverage strengths while overcoming limitations
● Strike competitors' weakest points and seize every opportunity
● Focus priorities and resources on conquering key challenges
● Go where the enemy is not
● Build and leverage strategic alliances

Big companies may deploy overwhelming forces, but small companies can outsmart, outmaneuver, and outstrategize larger adversaries to capture crucial sectors, serve unmet needs, and emerge victorious.

240 pages, Paperback

First published March 4, 2010

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Becky Sheetz-Runkle

5 books7 followers

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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
Profile Image for ENG Saeed.
44 reviews5 followers
February 10, 2018


فن الحروب للأعمال الصغيرة

من المغري أن تقع في فخ محاولة أن تكون كل شيء لكل الناس ، في محاولة منك ألا تفقد أية فرصة

لكن الأعمال الصغيرة عليها أن تتذكر أنه ليس كل شيء يمثل فرصة اذا كان لا يتلاءم مع أهداف مؤسستك وغاياتها

إذا تمت معاقبة العاملين قبل أن يصبحوا مرتبطين بك فلن يصبحوا مطيعين وما لم يطيعوك فلن يكونوا ذوي نفع لك
واذا أصبح العاملون مرتبطين بك ولم تطبق عليهم عقاب فسيظلوا غير ذوي نفع لك.

الانتظار سيكون طويلا
إذا كنت على عجلة من أمرك فهناك العديد من أماكن بيع الهامبورجر الشهي على مسافة قصيرة من هنا

معرفة المنافس لن تفيدك كثيراً إذا لم تفهم وتطور نقاط قوتك وما لديك من أصول

إذا لم يكن المنتج أفضل أو أرخص مما هو موجود بالفعل فلن يكون لديك عمل حقيقي تنبيه

١- افهم نفسك
٢- افهم المنافسين
٣-افهم أحوال السوق
٤- العملاء وتحالفات الأعمال

إذا كنت تعرف نفسك وتعرف منافسيك فلا تخش النتيجة ولو كنت تواجه ١٠٠ المنافسين

هاجم حين لا يكون المنافس مستعد ، وأظهر نفسك حين لا يتوقع ظهورك

اذهب إلى حيث توجد الفرصة لكن لا تذهب حيث يوجد العدو

مطعمي المفضل أجده حيث يعرفونني ويعاملونني كما لو كنت فرداً من العائلة وصديقاً لهم

قائد الشركة الصغيرة شديد التركيز لديه نقاط ضعف قليلة تستدعي الدفاع عنها وكلما زاد تركيزك قلت معاركك وكلما زاد عمق التركيز صار وضعك للخطط أفضل وأكثر دقة بل وكذلك وضعك للاستراتجيات طويلة المدى.

إنه سوف يفتتح فقط من فرعين او ثلاثة أفرع في العام. وإذا كان هناك واحد في منطقتك فأنت واحد من المحظوظين.

نقدم فقط البرجر وبطاطس مقلية عالية الجودة، فالجودة لدينا هي الأهم حيث يتم عمل البرجر بالكامل في المطعم مع الخبز ولا يوجد اي طعام مجمداً أبداً وتقطع البطاطس يدوياً ويتم انتقاؤها بعناية من المصدر دون وسيط.

إن خوفي يكمن في إضافة شيء جديد ولا نكون قادرين على الإجادة فيه، وحينها قد يكتب بعض نقاد الطعام عن مدى سوء القهوة لدينا ولا يكتبون عن مدى روعة البرجر والبطاطس المقلية

خدمة عملاء ممتازة ، علامة تجارية قوية ومستمرة، موظفين وعملاء متحمسين سوف يحدث التغير على المدى الطويل

الجواسيس مصادر للمعلومات لا يمكن الاستغناء عنهم.

حين تفوز اعرف السبب. السؤال ليس لماذا تظن انت أنك الخيار الأفضل بل لماذا يقول العميل إنك الأفضل.

أيضاً أن تعرف السلب في الخسارة بل اكثر أهمية ان تعرف سبب خسارتك أكثر من سبب فوزك

كن على قائمة حسابات التواصل لمنافسينك كي تعرف أخبارهم والإعلانات عن منتجهم يمكنك تجربة خطوط الاتصال والدعم ولتقييم مدى قوة خدمة العملاء لديهم

فايف جايز وسيلة ذكية كي تتسوق بحثاً عن الأسرار
نظام مراقبة على كل مطعم وذلك في كل اسبوع يذهب المتسوق السري متنكراً في هيئة عميل ويقيم أطقم عمل نظافة الحمامات اللياقة وتحضير الطعام وهذه الطريقة تساعد على لليقظة والمساهمة في ثقافة الخدمات الممتازة في المكان . ويتم تحفيز أطقم العمل الفائزة بجوائز مالية كبيرة ١٢ مليون دولار سنويا على الفائزين
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Profile Image for Zachary Wrightsman.
40 reviews12 followers
December 6, 2019
Wasn’t “WOW’d” by this book. However, it does a good job of converting it into the small business world. I’m sure if you’ve read Sun Tzu then you probably won’t have to read this book.
Profile Image for First News.
35 reviews2 followers
February 24, 2020
Tôn Tử sống cùng thời với Khổng Tử. Người ta tin rằng ông sống từ năm 544 tới năm 496 trước Công nguyên, gần cuối giai đoạn lịch sử Xuân Thu, trong thời kỳ nhiễu nhương, hỗn loạn ở Trung Hoa. Tôn Tử là danh xưng mà hậu thế trân trọng gắn liền với cuốn binh thư của ông. Tên thật của ông là Tôn Vũ. Ông sinh ra trong dòng dõi quý tộc. Vốn là người chuyên tâm nghiên cứu về lý thuyết quân sự, ông chuyển tới nước Ngô do sức mạnh quân sự của nước này ngày càng mạnh mẽ. Do khâm phục tài năng của Tôn Tử, Ngô Vương phong ông làm quân sư, phụ trách kỷ luật quân đội và hỗ trợ tướng Ngũ Tử Tư trong việc đưa ra quốc sách nhằm bành trướng lãnh thổ.
Binh pháp là cuốn binh thư ra đời sớm nhất và tồn tại lâu nhất, đồng thời là một trong những tác phẩm lỗi lạc nhất về chiến trường. Đây được xem là sách hướng dẫn xác thực về các hoạt động chính trị và quân sự ở vùng Viễn Đông. Cho tới nay, tác phẩm trở thành chuyên luận xuất chúng và thường xuyên được nghiên cứu trong lĩnh vực quân sự, chính trị và thương mại trên toàn thế giới. Binh pháp là cuốn sách bắt buộc phải đọc trong nhiều trường kinh doanh và học viện quân sự, đồng thời là tài liệu cốt lõi cho các lãnh đạo doanh nghiệp.
Profile Image for Deborah Bailey.
Author 19 books345 followers
December 16, 2014
There are a lot of advantages to running a small business over a larger one, though often small business owners may feel overwhelmed when they try to keep up with the big players. The Art of War for Small Business by Becky Sheetz-Runkle, uses "The Art of War" by Sun Tzu as its inspiration.

Sheetz-Runkle is experienced in martial arts and in business leadership, and she lends her expertise to this guide for the small business owner.

Included in her book are 12 lessons, which include directives on how to understand your market, how to understand your competition, how to build alliances and how to maintain your focus.

She's also added examples of various successful businesses such as Five Guys, Wegmans, Samuel Adams and Paychex.

At the conclusion she's listed key themes from The Art of War, and tied them back to actions the small business owners can take as they grow their companies. This is a reference book that readers will refer to over and over again, since these lessons are as timeless as Sun Tzu's classic. (Received a review copy.)
Profile Image for Audrey Huang.
1 review
June 16, 2016
Good book, but could be better

Clear on Sun Tsu's war strategies and how they can be applied in the business field. However, for greater impact should include the original Chinese texts in the quotations
Profile Image for Marcelo.
22 reviews1 follower
April 17, 2017
Voy por la primera parte algunos ejemplos interesantes sobre el uso del arte de la guerra espero la mejora y más que solo datos
24 reviews1 follower
September 9, 2018
If I could take this book back and get my money returned, I would. Just out of principle. It contains some interesting case studies of various businesses which have utilized the strategies of Sun Tzu successfully. That however really is where the interest ends.

I seriously doubt that Sun Tzu himself would chose to waste valuable resources on this book - which offers only very shallow insight - instead he would buy the text itself.

Think less invaluable text book and more dust collector.
6 reviews
January 14, 2025
A masterfully guided tour through the practical application of The Art of War from someone who clearly loves, understands, and has effectively exercised the teachings therein!

The takeaways are intuitive and truly derive from the material—and the added context and understanding of martial arts adds a unique and distinctive layer not found in similar works.

Keep a highlighter handy for this one!
Profile Image for Eman jubran.
1 review
August 6, 2020
الكتاب شيق في البدايه،،
يتحدث عن استغلال فنون الحرب في التجارة،

واوجه الشبه فيما بينهم ولكن مع الوقت يبدأ بتكرار نفسه ..

يخدم اصحاب المشاريع والشركات الصغيره الذين لهم منافسين في السوق.
يحوي على ٢٣١ صفحه بالامكان اختصارها في ٢٠ صفحه.
Profile Image for Morgan Arthur.
116 reviews1 follower
March 1, 2024
Sách hay. Có những điều đã xưa cũ và khá hiển nhiển nhưng tập trung suy nghĩ, liên tưởng thêm thì thấy nó vẫn còn giá trị. Sách ngắn thôi vs đều được chuyển ngữ Hán Việt và có các ví dụ inh họa trong kinh doanh nên mình nghĩ bạn nào đọc cũng được.
Profile Image for Lacey Caselman.
54 reviews2 followers
February 11, 2019
Good read helpful tips. Good for reinforcing and refreshing the strategies and philosophies in the Art of war.
Profile Image for A PEARSON.
58 reviews4 followers
September 20, 2019
A good application of the classic text. Mainly top level strategic overviews and less practical application. 3/5
Profile Image for John.
121 reviews6 followers
June 16, 2021
The concept was pretty simple and didn't add much. But it was still a fun, quick read.
Profile Image for عمر الحمادي.
Author 7 books704 followers
September 21, 2021
رغم أن الكتاب يحمل نصائح مهمة في مجال الأعمال والتجارة، إلا أن محاولة إقحام كتاب فن الحرب في الموضوع لم تكن موفقة.
Profile Image for Melih.
83 reviews1 follower
November 10, 2016
It was nice to read a business book that wasn't just focused on tech companies. I do think that this is the type of book where if I had read Art of War first it would help with context.

However she lays out the connections incredibly well, and then gives good, relevant examples throughout.

Profile Image for Lorrie.
57 reviews2 followers
September 21, 2022
The book was good. I think it would be better if I had read The Art of War first as there are many references that are only loosely explained. Overall, I recommend. It sparks creativity and new ways of looking at things.
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews

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