The essay shall follow after this listing of publications posted TWTW:
1] Thirty Six Stratagems, csloh.substack;
2] Russia halts enriched uranium to US, ThinkBrics;
3] On Trump’s Election, Sinification;
4] China is ready for the era of great rivalry, China Academy;
5] MOMENTUM #226;
6] FRIDAY FILES 22/1122/11;
7] The STORM'S PUBLICATIONS:
i. Kampong Baru Redevelopment Residents Resistance;
ii. Financialisation capitalism deepening neo-imperialism penetration;
iii. Capital accumulation and financialisation capitalism in Healthcare;
iv. Decolonising urban redevelopment in Kampong Baru- a community-based approach,
and in the firesstorm site:
a) The Thirty-Six Stratagems and PMX strategic swoops;
b) Madani governance grappling with a Gramsci's hegemony.
Thank you for reading our postings and publications.
in solidarity,
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Art of War
Several firms have successfully applied Sun Tzu's Art of War principles to their corporates’ strategies:
1. Apple Inc.
Apple's rise as a market leader showcases its understanding of Sun Ta's strategic principles.
Principle: "Know the enemy and know yourself; in a hundred battles, you will never be defeated .
Apple deeply understands its competitors and its own strengths, particularly in design, branding, and innovation.
Example: Apple's study of rivals like Samsung to differentiate itself through a premium ecosystem allowing Apple to dominate the high-end smartphone market while others competed on price.
Principle: "Appear at points which the enemy must hasten to defend; march swiftly to places where you are not expected."
Apple's move into wearables (e.g., Apple Watch) and services (e.g., Apple Music and iCloud) surprised competitors opening new revenue streams.
Apple's focus on developing long-term the commodity supply chain in China is praiseworthy of her foresight perseverance; read the STORM article, monthlyreview, January 2021.
2. Amazon
Amazon’s dominance in e-commerce and cloud computing reflects its mastery of strategic thinking.
Principle: "The supreme art of war is to subdue the enemy without fighting."
Amazon avoids direct competition by offering differentiated services; Amazon Prime builds customer loyalty by bundling shipping, streaming, and other benefits, discouraging competitors without head-to-head confrontation.
Principle: "In the midst of chaos, there is also opportunity."
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Amazon capitalized on the surge in online shopping by scaling its logistics and delivery operations.
3. Tesla
Tesla's approach to electric vehicles (EVs) and renewable energy aligns closely with Sun Tzu's philosophies.
Principle: "Opportunities multiply as they are seized."
Tesla was the first to seize the high-performance EV market, building a network of superchargers and securing lithium supply chains early, creating barriers for new entrants.
Principle: "When you surround an army, leave an outlet free."
Tesla’s strategy allows traditional automakers to compete in lower-end EV markets while it focuses on premium models, avoiding direct price wars.
4. Google (Alphabet Inc.)
Google's ability to dominate search and advertising demonstrates its application of Sun Tzu's ideas.
Principle: "All warfare is based on deception."
Google's free services (e.g., Gmail, Google Maps) attract users, masking its primary business model: monetising data through targeted advertising.
By prioritizing utility for consumers, Google stays ahead while others struggle to compete on service quality.
Principle: "Engage people with what they expect; it is what they are able to discern and confirms their projections. It settles them into predictable patterns of response, occupying their minds while you wait for the extraordinary moment."
Google builds trust with reliable, ubiquitous tools while innovating in less visible areas like AI, autonomous vehicles (Waymo), and quantum computer.
These examples illustrate how Sun Tzu's timeless strategies are effectively adapted to modern business challenges, driving innovation, growth, and sustained dominance.
The Common Themes Across Firms are that of
1. Understanding Competitors and Markets: Deep research into rivals’ strengths and weaknesses, allowing for strategic positioning.
2. Surprising Moves: Entering unexpected markets or industries to avoid direct competition and gain first-mover advantage.
3. Calculated Risks: Phased, deliberate actions to minimize exposure while maximizing opportunity.
4. Flexibility and Adaptability: Adjusting strategies based on real-time conditions, often leveraging technological or cultural shifts.
5. Subtle Dominance: Winning customer loyalty and market share without overt aggression, often by offering superior value or innovation.
Here are a few titles from the Emerald Insights that explore the application of Sun Tzu's Art of War and related strategic principles in various fields:
A. “Building balanced scorecard with SWOT analysis, and implementing 'Sun Tzu’s The Art of Business Management Strategies' on QFD methodology"
This work combines the SWOT analysis with the Balanced Scorecard (BSC) and integrates Sun Tzu’s strategies into QFD to build a systematic approach for corporate strategy and business planning.
B. “Leadership essentials from Sun Zi's Art of War and the Bhagavad Gita"
This paper examines leadership insights by comparing The Art of War with the Bhagavad Gita. It focuses on the synergies and contrasts between Chinese and Indian perspectives, offering practical implications for leadership in multicultural environments.
All these articles highlight how ancient strategic philosophies like The Art of War are adapted to modern management and strategic planning frameworks, blending them with methodologies like QFD, BSC, and SWOT analysis. They are particularly insightful for understanding leadership, business strategy, and cross-cultural management.