In my opinion, the philosophy of “Sun Tzu – The Art of War” which consists of 13 Chapters is not only related and applied only to war philosophy only. Nowadays, The Art of War is one tool that can be applied in most everything factors such as business on modern world, government, politic and etc.
Sun Tzu – The Art of War On Modern World
Let’s take a look the Sun Tzu – The Art of War philosophy and it’s Correlation with non military application use below :
“Sun Tzu – Chapter 1.10 – By method and discipline are to be understood the marshaling of the army in its proper subdivisions, the graduations of rank among the officers, the maintenance of roads by which supplies may reach the army, and the control of military expenditure”.
On sentences above, in order to run the team or organization to be more effective and efficient, the management should set up the resources in an effective and efficient way besides they should have a skills in analyzing the skills of the human resources they are leading then assign them into the proper placement based on each skills and capabilities.
Sun Tzu – Chapter 1.13
(1) Which of the two sovereigns is imbued with the Moral law?
(2) Which of the two generals has most ability?
(3) With whom lie the advantages derived from Heaven and Earth?
(4) On which side is discipline most rigorously enforced?
(5) Which army is stronger?
(6) On which side are officers and men more highly trained?
(7) In which army is there the greater constancy both in reward and punishment?
Sun Tzu – Chapter 1.14
“By means of these seven considerations I can forecast victory or defeat.”
On sentences above : Sun Tzu – Chapter 1.13 and 1.14:
– Chapter 1.13.1 & 1.13.4 : Compare to the competitor, which leader has more positive character and influence so the employee will obey the instruction.
– Chapter 1.13.2 : Compare to the both competitor, which leader has more skills.
– Chapter 1.13.3, 1.13.5 : Compare to the competitor, which team has more advantage.
– Chapter 1.13.6 : Compare to the competitor, which team has more skill and knowledgeable employees.
– Chapter 1.13.7 : Compare to the competitor, which team has more constant in applying a reward and punishment so the employees will obey the instructions and has motivation to perform cause a reward.
– Chapter 1.14 : In order to have a good performance, the management should forecast not only for a victory but it includes the defeat. So the management should be objective then build a mature strategy to win the competition and anticipation in case fail to achieve the goal.
Sun Tzu – Chapter 3.17 & 3.18
17. Thus we may know that there are five essentials for victory:
(1) He will win who knows when to fight and when not to fight.
(2) He will win who knows how to handle both superior and inferior forces.
(3) He will win whose army is animated by the same spirit throughout all its ranks.
(4) He will win who, prepared himself, waits to take the enemy unprepared.
(5) He will win who has military capacity and is not interfered with by the sovereign.
18. Hence the saying: If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. If you know yourself but not the enemy, for every victory gained you will also suffer a defeat. If you know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will succumb in every battle.
On sentences above : Sun Tzu – Chapter 3.17 and 3.18:
– Chapter 3.17.1-5 : The management should have a skills in responding and take an action needed for each situations.
– Chapter 3.18 :
The management should be objective and have skills in analyzing their own team and competitor advantage or disadvantage in order to gain a victory or suffering a defeat.
a. If you know the enemy and know yourself… means if the management have objective and complete reliable measurement about the team and competitors then they will understand how to take each action and respond needed to secure the business and high possibility to win the competition.
b. If you know yourself but not the enemy.. means even the team win the competition but it has period of time and the opportunity of competitors is still open. On this step, the team win the market shares but not win a loyalty of the customers or not winning a heart shares.
c. If you know neither the enemy nor yourself means.. This the worst things, once is the management don’t know their own team and competitor advantage or disadvantage. Like a blind people walking in a desert.
Sun Tzu – Chapter 8.31
“ Hence the saying: If you know the enemy and know yourself, your victory will not stand in doubt; if you know Heaven and know Earth, you may make your victory complete.”
Means :
a. If you know the enemy and know yourself… means if the management have objective and complete reliable measurement about the team and competitors then they will understand how to take each action and respond needed to secure the business and high possibility to win the competition.
b. if you know Heaven and know Earth.. Heaven and Earth terms on Sun Tzu is the factor that cannot be manage. To gain a complete victory, it will be better that the management has a measurement about this factor. *)
*) See also “Optimizing the performance result through S.W.O.T by managing S.W.O.T classification factor.” on next posting.
Chapters on The Art of War by Sun Tzu
1. LAYING PLANS
2. WAGING WAR
3. ATTACK BY STRATAGEM
4. TACTICAL DISPOSITIONS
5. ENERGY
6. WEAK POINTS AND STRONG
7. MANEUVERING
8. VARIATION IN TACTICS
9. THE ARMY ON THE MARCH
10. TERRAIN
11. THE NINE SITUATIONS
12. THE ATTACK BY FIRE
13. THE USE OF SPIES
Sun Tzu – The Art of War consists of strategic and tactical decision, operation and managing soldier (human resources), research and analysis, emotional factors, resources and so on which must be taken based on the each situations when on war situation that may correlated on the position and action need to be taken for each situation.
Example :
Market leader will take different action compare to a challenger, follower, niche from marketing point of views
Popular figure will take a different action compare to unpopular one from politic point of views.
Summarized all things mentioned above it almost similar like how to manage Strength and Weakness points and how to face the Threat and take an Opportunity available to win the war. Conclusion of this, The philosophy of “The Art of War by Sun Tzu” can be transforming or converting into S.W.O.T. tools formulas. Not only converting into S.W.O.T, it’s including action needed to be taken based on the positioning.
What is the correlation and application between “The Art of War” and “SWOT Tools and Analysis” in business, government and others application ?
a. Correlation from marketing application. (Business)
Business is a war in a positive point of view. Where a company which running a business fighting/having a war against its competitor to achieve their mission and goals and win the market (market share, positioning, etc.) through their own strategy.
In marketing concept we know the tool “SWOT Analysis” is an abbreviation of “Strength – Weakness – Opportunity and Threat”. This is almost the same as the philosophy of war. Where in a war, a war leader (management) have to really consider all these aspects and take an urgency action needed if want to win a war. And it’s totally different action taken by the leader from one to another.
The assumption of a war :
Strength = What is the strength of the army led.
Weakness = What are the weaknesses in leading troops.
Opportunity and Threat = What is an opportunity and threat to the troops.
b. Correlation from overal business performance (company) application. (Business)
The correlation in the business (company) has more wider/broadly. It is not only related to the marketing department only but all departments in a company.
In order to win a war, a company can’t rely on 1 (one) armed forces alone but the entire armed forces. Where warlords (top management) controls the composition of a strategy to win the war.
In a company, A warlord (top management) set up a more complex strategy for all integration department such as marketing, finance & accounting, production, human resources, etc which is called strategic decision and Management (Field Commander) set up tactically strategy action (Tactically decision).
c. Correlation from government application. (Government)
The correlation in the government application has wider application which can be applied to several factors such as economics, military and so on. On economics areas, S.W.O.T application is to bring a country welfare. On military areas, S.W.O.T application is to bring a stronger defense to protect the country from others country invasion.
Klik This Link Sun Tzu The Art Of Modern World – For Indonesian Version
—————————————————————————————-
* Taken from my original post written on my past blog edric-online.com around 2008.
* Latest updated on August 10th, 2012 and November 3oth, 2012
