The Art of War written by Sun Tzu was written in the 5th century BC. The book shows the different strategies of warfare. The chapters explain how to fight a war and win though one may not be ready to fight. It also shows how to appear stronger to the enemy even though one may be weak.
The most important lesson from The Art of War is to know your own strengths and weaknesses. The purpose of this lesson is to show that you can win any battle whether literal or not if you know yourself and your enemy. “If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles." This represents the game theory that we learned about in class because understanding the enemy is the payoff. This is the dominant strategy because you know the outcome which will benefit you the most.
We live in a world of competition where everything is always changing and improving this “According as circumstances are favorable, one should modify one’s plans.” Though this book was written centuries ago it is still relevant today because the world is ever changing. In the business world companies like Apple and Samsung are always trying to come out with better products and services. Each company has to learn to modify and improve on their products to gain the most benefit. This is not just seen in the technology industry but every business firm in the world.
Another lesson General Tzu talks about is when to fight the enemy. “It is a military axiom not to advance uphill against the enemy nor to oppose him when he comes downhill.” Many companies fail because they do not understand when to fight the competition. Most small firms go in over their heads without truly understanding the market and thus exit in the long run. Though this book talks about warfare, many of the lessons can be used in business to make smarter choices and earn the maximum amount if profit.
The most important takeaway from this book is to learn your own weaknesses and strengths and know the right time to fight. Though this may seem literal many of the things discussed in this book have a relevant presence in business and life today. This book was meant to be written about warfare but many of the key points are very helpful in deterring your chances of succeeding within a given market at a given time under specific circumstances.
The most important lesson from The Art of War is to know your own strengths and weaknesses. The purpose of this lesson is to show that you can win any battle whether literal or not if you know yourself and your enemy. “If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles." This represents the game theory that we learned about in class because understanding the enemy is the payoff. This is the dominant strategy because you know the outcome which will benefit you the most.
We live in a world of competition where everything is always changing and improving this “According as circumstances are favorable, one should modify one’s plans.” Though this book was written centuries ago it is still relevant today because the world is ever changing. In the business world companies like Apple and Samsung are always trying to come out with better products and services. Each company has to learn to modify and improve on their products to gain the most benefit. This is not just seen in the technology industry but every business firm in the world.
Another lesson General Tzu talks about is when to fight the enemy. “It is a military axiom not to advance uphill against the enemy nor to oppose him when he comes downhill.” Many companies fail because they do not understand when to fight the competition. Most small firms go in over their heads without truly understanding the market and thus exit in the long run. Though this book talks about warfare, many of the lessons can be used in business to make smarter choices and earn the maximum amount if profit.
The most important takeaway from this book is to learn your own weaknesses and strengths and know the right time to fight. Though this may seem literal many of the things discussed in this book have a relevant presence in business and life today. This book was meant to be written about warfare but many of the key points are very helpful in deterring your chances of succeeding within a given market at a given time under specific circumstances.