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Competitive Success: Building Winning Strategies with Corporate War Games
Don’t walk onto the business battlefield without the weapons and plan you need to win.
In dynamic, fiercely competitive markets you must have confidence in your business strategy, especially when the future of your company is at stake. Rather than make untested, unilateral decisions, war game strategies with your leadership team in a safe workshop environment. In Competitive Building Winning Strategies with Corporate War Games, Arjan Singh, a top competitive intelligence (CI) expert consultant, shows you how to build winning strategies step-by-step. Through engaging, interesting anecdotes gleaned by running over 200 war games for top Fortune 500 corporations, Singh demonstrates how war gaming helps these companies maintain competitive success. After reading this book, you’ll have a tested, actionable plan that you and your team will be eager to move forward on with confidence and unity.
Author Arjan Singh has advised 68 of the Top 100 companies in the Fortune Global 500 list in building winning strategies. With over twenty-six years of experience, Singh is an expert in helping companies develop data-driven strategies through war games, strategic and competitive analysis, scenario planning and building business early warning systems that deliver significant impact. He is an Adjunct Professor of Marketing and Global Consulting at Southern Methodist University (SMU) COX School of Business and lives in Scottsdale, Arizona with his wife and two children.
In dynamic, fiercely competitive markets you must have confidence in your business strategy, especially when the future of your company is at stake. Rather than make untested, unilateral decisions, war game strategies with your leadership team in a safe workshop environment. In Competitive Building Winning Strategies with Corporate War Games, Arjan Singh, a top competitive intelligence (CI) expert consultant, shows you how to build winning strategies step-by-step. Through engaging, interesting anecdotes gleaned by running over 200 war games for top Fortune 500 corporations, Singh demonstrates how war gaming helps these companies maintain competitive success. After reading this book, you’ll have a tested, actionable plan that you and your team will be eager to move forward on with confidence and unity.
Author Arjan Singh has advised 68 of the Top 100 companies in the Fortune Global 500 list in building winning strategies. With over twenty-six years of experience, Singh is an expert in helping companies develop data-driven strategies through war games, strategic and competitive analysis, scenario planning and building business early warning systems that deliver significant impact. He is an Adjunct Professor of Marketing and Global Consulting at Southern Methodist University (SMU) COX School of Business and lives in Scottsdale, Arizona with his wife and two children.
- GenresBusinessNonfiction
219 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 16, 2024
27 people are currently reading
1085 people want to read
About the author
Arjan Singh
1 book4 followersArjan Singh is the author of Competitive Success; published by Forbes Books. The Competitive Success Playbook helps companies build winning strategies by using a proven war game process to develop deep insights on their current and future competitive environment. The Competitive Success Playbook has been used by hundreds of companies globally.
He has advised 70 of Top 100 companies in the Fortune Global 500 list in building winning strategies. He is an expert in helping companies develop data-driven strategies through war games, strategic & competitive analysis, scenario planning and building business early warning systems that deliver significant business impact.
He has advised 70 of Top 100 companies in the Fortune Global 500 list in building winning strategies. He is an expert in helping companies develop data-driven strategies through war games, strategic & competitive analysis, scenario planning and building business early warning systems that deliver significant business impact.
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Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
March 28, 2024
There are many books about business strategy written by famous and bright thinkers. Most of them provide insight but not the pathway to implement the thinking shared as a strategy building tool.
Arjan Singh's Competitive Success: Building Winning Strategies with Corporate War Games does exactly that. It provides the frameworks to consider your organization's place in its ecosystem and then provides the roadmap and tools to actually build a strategy that invites and even compels your customers to skips your competition and come directly to you.
This invitation is a result of tools that help you identfy the hidden assumptions behind the way your customers and competition think. And by building an indepth knowledge of your customers' drivers and motivations and by building an indepth knowledge of your competition, you strategy will out perform the competitors and attract your customers.
Imagine having magic insight into your customers' thinking and motivations. Imagine being able to craft a message that is so personal the customers are absolutely triggered to your company. Well it can happen to your organization without magic, just the right focus and right tools. I urge you to explore this book now togain the insights and the road map and the tools to build a strategy that wins. This book is not magic, it is just excellent.
Arjan Singh's Competitive Success: Building Winning Strategies with Corporate War Games does exactly that. It provides the frameworks to consider your organization's place in its ecosystem and then provides the roadmap and tools to actually build a strategy that invites and even compels your customers to skips your competition and come directly to you.
This invitation is a result of tools that help you identfy the hidden assumptions behind the way your customers and competition think. And by building an indepth knowledge of your customers' drivers and motivations and by building an indepth knowledge of your competition, you strategy will out perform the competitors and attract your customers.
Imagine having magic insight into your customers' thinking and motivations. Imagine being able to craft a message that is so personal the customers are absolutely triggered to your company. Well it can happen to your organization without magic, just the right focus and right tools. I urge you to explore this book now togain the insights and the road map and the tools to build a strategy that wins. This book is not magic, it is just excellent.
June 20, 2024
I found this book to have some really good advice for businesses. The author used some good real world examples to make points, that I found helpful. The actual parts on how to do the war games were the least interesting to me personally, but actually were only a small part of the book. I received an advance review copy for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
July 2, 2024
Interesting theories and ideas. Will give a higher score if they can be applied at work successfully.
April 4, 2024
Arjan's Competitive Success is a comprehensive and thoughtful view into the world of war gaming.
Arjan provides real examples from companies across industries as he shows how war games can really help make or break a company. One of the examples he shared was about how research and scenario planning resulted in a pharma company calling a competitor's bluff on launching a generic.
In addition to the insight Arjan provides throughout the book, he also provides actionable templates that can enable any company to start their own war game today. The templates provided at the end of the book bring to life each of the war game elements. Competitive Success as an actionable resource for any organization that is striving to win!
Arjan provides real examples from companies across industries as he shows how war games can really help make or break a company. One of the examples he shared was about how research and scenario planning resulted in a pharma company calling a competitor's bluff on launching a generic.
In addition to the insight Arjan provides throughout the book, he also provides actionable templates that can enable any company to start their own war game today. The templates provided at the end of the book bring to life each of the war game elements. Competitive Success as an actionable resource for any organization that is striving to win!
June 7, 2024
"Competitive Success: Building Winning Strategies with Corporate War Games" by Arjan Singh is an extraordinary guide for any business leader seeking to sharpen their strategic acumen. Singh masterfully combines theoretical insights with practical applications, offering a compelling narrative on how corporate war games can transform strategic planning. His expertise shines through each page, providing readers with innovative tools and techniques to anticipate market dynamics and outmaneuver competitors. The book is not only a treasure trove of knowledge but also an engaging read, making complex concepts accessible and actionable. A must-read for anyone serious about gaining a competitive edge in today's fast-paced business environment.
April 4, 2024
This is one of the best books that I have read on CI and War Games.
Written from a practical angle.
I recommend this book to any one who wants to know more on the subject.
Written from a practical angle.
I recommend this book to any one who wants to know more on the subject.
April 17, 2024
The only book you need to read this year to win in the corporate feild!
March 28, 2024
Competitive Success, building Winning Strategies with Corporate War Games by Arjan Singh is a quick and low barrier entry into the world of war gaming.
The book covers the steps to building an effective briefing and structure for a war game. Arjan's years of experience are articulated in numerous well placed examples and stories that keep the reader engaged and answer questions that arise for novice strategists. This book is great for people learning to think strategically, or just differently about problem solving. He makes it easy to plan your own war game with time tested and well thought out templates to keep things running smoothly. He also provides some examples of pitfalls to avoid or spoilers for the exercise that should be eliminated or controlled for from the start.
One area that could have used additional coverage is examples of quality briefing books and the playbooks arising from a fictitious or old case. Perhaps using a case study to illustrate how one can execute the steps would have been helpful too. There are of course many references to additional services which can be provided by his company, as shameless self promotion does come with the territory. These services though are mentioned more as an afterthought for newcomers who might want the war game but not the hassle of creating one from scratch.
Despite these small critiques, the book is quite sufficient with a few resources and creativity for almost anyone to set up and run a war game.
Overall this is worth adding to your bookshelf as a reference for running wargames for small or large teams or even dare I say gatherings of friends and family to settle debates of importance large and small. It is in the end, a compilation of insightful and entertaining stories, which makes the reading all the more enjoyable while getting a quick education.
The book covers the steps to building an effective briefing and structure for a war game. Arjan's years of experience are articulated in numerous well placed examples and stories that keep the reader engaged and answer questions that arise for novice strategists. This book is great for people learning to think strategically, or just differently about problem solving. He makes it easy to plan your own war game with time tested and well thought out templates to keep things running smoothly. He also provides some examples of pitfalls to avoid or spoilers for the exercise that should be eliminated or controlled for from the start.
One area that could have used additional coverage is examples of quality briefing books and the playbooks arising from a fictitious or old case. Perhaps using a case study to illustrate how one can execute the steps would have been helpful too. There are of course many references to additional services which can be provided by his company, as shameless self promotion does come with the territory. These services though are mentioned more as an afterthought for newcomers who might want the war game but not the hassle of creating one from scratch.
Despite these small critiques, the book is quite sufficient with a few resources and creativity for almost anyone to set up and run a war game.
Overall this is worth adding to your bookshelf as a reference for running wargames for small or large teams or even dare I say gatherings of friends and family to settle debates of importance large and small. It is in the end, a compilation of insightful and entertaining stories, which makes the reading all the more enjoyable while getting a quick education.
July 13, 2024
The book dives into three war game areas: strategic, operational, and tactical. By creating safe, simulated scenarios, businesses can explore potential challenges and unknown variables.
According to Singh, the outcome of a well executed war game shows many benefits such as anticipating industry trends, ability to define your competitive landscape with precision, and align product capabilities with market demands.
The games begin with a blueprint, The Briefing Book, that is a guide to the war gaming exercises. It ends with an actionable Playbook to identify competitive advantage, mitigate risks, and seize market opportunities.
Singh's approach is applicable to all companies, from startups to multinationals. He uses clear language to give practical insights.
The book cites examples of some well-known companies and even case studies. These give an idea into the success stories but the challenges and failures have not been analysed in detail. The core of the book is to incite curiosity and urge to take on a war game and up your market opportunities.
Competitive Success has templates at the back, which can be a useful roadmap for oragnisations to handle unforeseen disruptions. The book can also be useful for those wishing to find their way out of a disruptive situation.
According to Singh, the outcome of a well executed war game shows many benefits such as anticipating industry trends, ability to define your competitive landscape with precision, and align product capabilities with market demands.
The games begin with a blueprint, The Briefing Book, that is a guide to the war gaming exercises. It ends with an actionable Playbook to identify competitive advantage, mitigate risks, and seize market opportunities.
Singh's approach is applicable to all companies, from startups to multinationals. He uses clear language to give practical insights.
The book cites examples of some well-known companies and even case studies. These give an idea into the success stories but the challenges and failures have not been analysed in detail. The core of the book is to incite curiosity and urge to take on a war game and up your market opportunities.
Competitive Success has templates at the back, which can be a useful roadmap for oragnisations to handle unforeseen disruptions. The book can also be useful for those wishing to find their way out of a disruptive situation.
July 9, 2024
"Competitive Success" by Arjan Singh is a groundbreaking guide that explores the innovative use of corporate war games to develop and refine business strategies. Singh, with his extensive experience in strategy and competitive analysis, presents a compelling case for why and how businesses can leverage war games to anticipate market dynamics, outmaneuver competitors, and make informed strategic decisions.
The book is well-structured and filled with practical insights, real-world examples, and step-by-step methodologies. Singh's clear and concise writing makes complex concepts accessible, allowing readers to easily grasp and apply the principles discussed. His emphasis on the strategic thinking and proactive planning that war games foster is particularly valuable for business leaders and strategists seeking to gain a competitive edge.
Overall, "Competitive Success" is a must-read for anyone involved in strategic planning or competitive analysis. Arjan Singh's innovative approach provides a fresh perspective on how to navigate the complexities of the business world and build winning strategies. Highly recommended for its practical applicability and insightful guidance.
The book is well-structured and filled with practical insights, real-world examples, and step-by-step methodologies. Singh's clear and concise writing makes complex concepts accessible, allowing readers to easily grasp and apply the principles discussed. His emphasis on the strategic thinking and proactive planning that war games foster is particularly valuable for business leaders and strategists seeking to gain a competitive edge.
Overall, "Competitive Success" is a must-read for anyone involved in strategic planning or competitive analysis. Arjan Singh's innovative approach provides a fresh perspective on how to navigate the complexities of the business world and build winning strategies. Highly recommended for its practical applicability and insightful guidance.
Read
November 14, 2025Reading the Battle for Premium International Air Travel briefing book honestly gave me a much deeper appreciation for how complex and competitive the premium aviation segment really is. I never realized how much of an airline’s profitability depends on such a small group of high-value travelers, or how strategic things like lounges, loyalty programs, and cabin design actually are. What stood out to me most was how airlines balance product upgrades with network decisions and operational reliability—things I’ve taken for granted as a passenger. The book made the industry feel much more strategic and less “glamorous,” and it tied perfectly with the VPC and competitive dynamics frameworks from our readings. Overall, it was engaging, easy to follow, and genuinely expanded the way I think about airline strategy.
November 15, 2025
I would rate Arjan Singh’s 2024 book Competitive Success very highly, because reading it while taking his war gaming class has made strategy feel real, practical, and alive for me. The book is clear and direct and it offers concrete ways to think about competition, uncertainty, and human behavior without ever feeling abstract or overly technical. In class, I see the same ideas play out in the exercises we do, which helps me connect the frameworks in the book with actual decisions, tradeoffs, and possible futures. Together, the book and the course have already changed how I notice patterns, anticipate competitor moves, and understand my own blind spots, so this is a resource I see myself returning to long after the class ends.
April 16, 2024
In today's dynamic business landscape, staying ahead requires more than just planning – it demands executional excellence. “Competitive Success: Building Winning Strategies with Corporate War Games” doesn't just offer insights, it propels you from strategy formulation to effective implementation, empowering you to excel in the competitive arena. Through compelling real-life scenarios and actionable examples, this book becomes an indispensable guide for those ready to elevate their strategic game to new heights!
September 14, 2025
Taking the War Games course built around this book was both challenging and rewarding. The short timelines forced our team to break out of groupthink and quickly align on strategy, while also adapting to unexpected scenarios. I enjoyed the experience and found it expanded my perspective on competitive intelligence gathering and how it can be applied to business decision-making. The framework gave us a practical way to test strategy under pressure, and I’d recommend it to anyone looking to sharpen strategic thinking in dynamic environments.
March 31, 2024
There is an interesting concept described in the book referred to as a war game that can be applied to an educational or business audiences. The goal is to create close to deal world situations and within the duration of such a game, to develop ideas, strategies, products and solutions. The methodology sounds very promising and may be a real alternative to traditional brainstorming.
June 6, 2025
This book is a practical guide to using corporate war games to test strategies and outthink competitors. Arjan Singh effectively shows how simulating business scenarios can uncover blind spots, challenge assumptions, and sharpen strategic decision-making. I was hooked and finished it in just two days, an insightful and engaging read for anyone in strategy or leadership roles.
June 6, 2025
As a veteran transitioning to the civilian workforce, Competitive Success helped me translate military skills into strategic value in the business world. Chapter 8’s insight on analyzing competitors’ intent rather than just their actions felt especially familiar and useful. A great read for anyone looking to turn experience into impact.
September 26, 2025
I just finished Competitive Success: Building Winning Strategies with Corporate War Games and it taught me a lot. The book shows how pretending to play out business battles helps you see problems before they happen. As an entrepreneur, it made me feel more ready to plan ahead and make stronger choices.
September 27, 2025
I loved how this book broke down corporate war gaming and made it very easy to understand. The strategies, framework and models given in the book are very applicable to the real world and the insights provided are very valuable. Overall, this was a great read and highly recommend for anyone wanting to learn about war gaming
June 6, 2025
This book was a fantastic read that keeps you thinking about how to always be not 1, but 2 and 3 steps ahead of the competition. It's engaging, digestible, and perfect for elaborating on how you and your company can take on war gaming.
September 13, 2025
A well-written and highly practical guide to business strategy and war games. Drawing on years of hands-on experience, Arjan provides a rich set of frameworks that businesses can apply directly to real-world challenges. Highly recommend!
July 27, 2024
I really enjoyed the simple style and the practical business strategy advise in this book. Must read for everyone in business.
January 30, 2025
The book gives a comprehensive guide for creating strategies for competitive intelligence planning.
June 6, 2025
Books is an easy and insightful read! Gives a nice perspective on the benefits of War Gaming for strategy.
September 13, 2025
Great!
November 14, 2025
Great read with insightful information. Singh provides a variety of effective perspectives on “war gaming” strategies for dynamic situations.
November 18, 2025
The book puts a new perspective on problem solving. It really has you put yourself in the mind of the competition and become a detective to collect data.
Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews