Clausewitz on Strategy : Inspiration and Insight from a Master Strategist

by Tiha von Ghyczy, Christopher Bassford, Bolko von Oetinger

Think about strategy and sharpen judgment in an unpredictable environment
Carl von Clausewitz is widely acknowledged as one of the most important of the major strategic theorists; he's been read by Eisenhower, Kissinger, Patton, Chairman Mao, and numerous other leaders. In Clausewitz on Strategy, the Boston Consulting Group's Strategy Institute has excerpted those passages most relevant to business strategy from Clausewitz's classic text On War, the most general, applicable, and enduring work of strategy in the modern West and a source of insight into the nature of conflict, whether on the battlefield or in the boardroom. This book offers Clausewitz's framework for self-education--a way to train the reader's thinking. Clausewitz speaks the mind of the executive, revealing logic that those interested in strategic thinking and practice will find invaluable. He presents unique ideas, such as the idea that friction--unexpected interference--is an intrinsic part of strategy.
The Boston Consulting Group is one of the world's leading management consulting firms whose clients include many of the world's industry leaders. Tiha von Ghyczy (Charlottesville, VA) has been a faculty member and Director of Business Projects at the Darden School of Business since 1996. While with The Boston Consulting Group, he assumed responsibility for the practice groups in manufacturing/time-based competition and high technology. He has published numerous articles and books on vision and strategy. Bolko von Oetinger (Munich, Germany) is a Senior Vice President of BCG. Christopher Bassford (Washington, DC) is presently a Professor of Strategy at the National War College in Washington, DC, and the author of several books, including Clausewitz in The Reception of Clausewitz in Britain and America, 1815-1945.

Genres: Military Fiction, Philosophy, War, Business, History, Politics, Nonfiction

196 pages, Hardcover

First published April 23, 2001

Reviews

[Jan-Maat]

Interesting and I think there are some useful overlaps from Clausewitz's thinking on war and business and management - particularly concepts like friction. However on the other hand it is also fairly crazy and forced like "Chingiz Khan on Executive pay and retention" or "The Attila the Hun guide to social media" and " Joan of Arc in the Boardroom, how to maintain your mission and make millions without getting burnt" as well as other books that hopefully haven't been written yet, one can conceptualise clear and precise objectives in warfare in a way that can't be done in civilian peaceful enterprises. While a state actor engaged in warfare has to act within a different kind of legal and public relations structure than a business. Plus you can't oblige a business rival to cede their R&D simply by out performing them in sales of chocolate bars to key demographics.

Relevancy is a curse of an idea.

[Olethros · Rating 4 out of 5]

-Probablemente, sin superar tras ciento ochenta y dos años.-

Género. Ensayo.

Lo que nos cuenta. Análisis teórico sobre la guerra basado en el pensamiento del autor, su experiencia y su tiempo, desde su propio concepto hasta la generalidad de sus planes operativos, pasando por las fuerzas armadas, el combate y la teoría estratégica. Publicado de manera póstuma, menos de un año después del fallecimiento del autor, con sólo el primer libro, de los ocho que lo componen, revisado por Clausewitz y los siguientes en mayor o menor grado de finalización editorial.

¿Quiere saber más de este libro, sin spoilers? Visite:

http://librosdeolethros.blogspot.com/...

[Dean Marquis · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had a difficult time understanding Clausewitz untill I read this Book. Its important to the reader to understand that Clausewitz has Concepts. Once these Concepts are understood then everything else falls into place. Clausewitz theory of the Dynamics of Strategy is one of them. That there are three Dynamics of Strategy: one, Alliances, Two, Surprise and Three the Culmination Point.

[Jack Haefner]

Suggested by Dr. Wm Duggan at Columbia Univ

[Luis Mota · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best books about strategy I ever read.
The best I think...
Full of sense, intelligence and genie.
Sun what? :-)
I read it time to time.

[Dean Marquis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Before i read this book, I had no understanding of Clausewitz at all. It was all in one ear and out another. Now not only can I understand the genius of Clausewitz but I relate it to Sun Tzu and Bujutsu