...The Art of War Written nearly 2500 years ago by ancient Chinese philosopher Sun Tzu, The Art of War was written for the used for victory on the battlefield. However, The Art of War still continues to be an efficient tool not only for armed warfare, but serves as a viewpoint for business administration and victorious leadership in our modern age as well. Sun Tzu believed, “To win without fighting is best.” And the point of The Art of War is to assist the populace to learn negotiating conflicts and learn guidelines to succeed. Sun Tzu’s philosophy can serve as a guideline for many different war and management principles, including the philosophy of maneuver, purpose, offensive, surprise, the economy of force, mass, unity of command, simplicity, secrecy, deception, practicality, responsibility, practicality, shared objective, tactic, structure, system, staff, skill, style, innovation leadership and mergers and acquisitions. What I like about the words of Sun Tzu is that he is swift to the point. There aren’t a lot of verbose explanations, just very precise statements, which adds to the book’s efficacy. The thing that intrigued me the most about The Art of War were the insight into leadership and business that Sun Tzu’s philosophy provided. Anyone that has been in any type of leadership understands the truth of such words. If you are a weak leader, you will not be respected by those under you. If you are a strong leader...
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...Book Report on The Art of War by Sun Tzu Military Science 2020 “Stimulated disorder postulates perfect discipline; stimulated fear postulates courage; stimulated weakness postulates strength” (Tzu, pg. 20) “The Art of War” by Sun Tzu is a book that contains leadership lessons for everyone. The book was first written in 490 BC in the Kingdom of Wu. In 512 BC, he became the general for the King of Wu. The book contains thirteen chapters showcasing strategies to face challenges and overcome complex problems. The chapters outlines attack by stratagem; tactical dispositions; energy; weak points and strong; maneuvering; variation of tactics; the army on the march; terrain; the nine situations; the attack by fire; and the use of spies. “The Art of War” is read by people in military careers, business professionals, management professionals, and basically anyone in a field where people interaction is vital to the success of an operation. “The Art of War” is not a book that exploits on war and the glory or honor that comes with winning a battle, but instead, it focuses on realizing reckless mistakes that can be avoided and abuse of power. Popular war books are bombarded with stories of death, destruction, and sad aftermaths of war. This book teaches lessons that can change the way daily situations are handled. In return, the result will have a positive outcome on relationships between countries, leaders, and business owners. Any person that decides to forget the past or doesn’t...
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...Tzu's The Art of War Written 500 years B.C., The Art of War is a Chinese military treatise that was written by Sun Tzu during the Spring and Autumn period. The treatise is composed of 13 chapters, each of which is devoted to one aspect of the warfare. For hundreds of years, Sun Tzu’s classic treatise have been used and applied over and over again, not only in military operations, but in all aspects of the human life-to include economic, social and political relations. The Art of War is among the most ancient books published, yet its influence and success continue to amaze the world. The book has been translated and published in almost all languages of the world and its principles have been applied to all walks of life. Indeed, Sun Tzu registered a tremendous influence on both Eastern and Western military thinking, business tactics, and beyond. Even in his times, Sun Tzu had recognized the importance of positioning in strategy as affected by both the physical environment and the opinions of all players in that environment. Sun Tzu taught that tactics is more important that actions-planning must concentrate on tactics. He taught that the strategy is not to a plan course of action, but rather to establish quick and appropriate responses to changing conditions. Planning works in a controlled environment, but in a competitive environment, competing plans collide, creating unexpected situations. The following are five of the 13 principles of Sun Tzu in the Art of War: ...
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...The Art of War In everything that we do in our life, first thing that we should do is to make plans on how we’re going to do a thing, when will do it, where we will do it, why we’re doing it and what’s the purpose of doing it. Sun Tzu emphasized the importance of positioning in military strategy. The decision to position an army must be based on both objective conditions in the physical environment and the subjective beliefs of other, competitive actors in that environment. He thought that strategy was not planning in the sense of working through an established list, but rather that it requires quick and appropriate responses to changing conditions. Planning works in a controlled environment; but in a changing environment, competing plans collide, creating unexpected situations. In the first chapter of the Art of War talks about laying plans or the calculations. Planning explores the five fundamental factors (the way, seasons, terrain, leadership and management) and seven elements that determine the outcomes of military engagement. By thinking, assessing and comparing these points, a commander can calculate his chances of victory. Habitual deviation from these calculations will ensure failure via improper action. The text stresses that war is a very grave matter for the state and must not be commenced without due consideration. In waging war or the challenge explains how to understand the economy of warfare and how success requires winning decisive engagements quickly. It...
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...Sun Tzu’s Art of War According to historians, the exact date of the publication of the book, The Art of War, is not known. In fact, they don’t even know who wrote it. However, it is believed that It was written by a Chinese military leader named Sun Tzu and that he lived in an era where China is at war with nations aiming to conquer their territory and overthrow them, hence creation of the book can be attributed to such situation. When we think of war, the first ideas that would come into our mind are chaos, pandemonium, disorder, and other words that could be attributed to destruction. Also, wars occur often because parties are fighting over something. In a business setting, same goals can be indicated. That is, to gain profits and subsequently overthrow or defeat competitors. Although it appears to be a simple goal, such objective can be achieved in different ways. Sun Tzu’s Art of War mentions 13 principles, which are originally intended to serve as guidance in wars but can also serve as guide in making strategic plans and decisions. One principle is that one must capture the market without destroying it. This means that entities must think of a strategy that will capture the market in a way that leaves the industry healthy. Such can be achieved by using low-key approaches that will not draw a competitor’s attention or response. The second principle, which I think can be applied to businesses, is to avoid strength and attack weakness. This means that instead of making...
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...philosophy from the ancient book The Art of War which is one of the oldest and most successful books on military strategy. It influenced eastern military thinking and emphasized the most efficient way of gaining victory with the least amount of conflict. The original text is purposely made obscure and difficult to understand, so that Sun Tzu remained employed, as the king would need him for interpretation. Although it has a mixture of profound philosophy and detailed tactical prescriptions that are great for battles about 2500 years ago, the book is also useful today. The teaching of Sun Tzu is powerful: it will not only instruct us, but also reveal where we stand and how to approach a problem, how to deal with adversity, and how to handle the whims of fate. The author, Chin-Ning Chu, perfectly applied Sun Tzu’s theory to integrate our styles and personal philosophy into every action we take. She provided examples, references, and anecdotes that were not available in the original book The Art of War. This book is written particularly for women because women have the ability to negotiate and they are able to be modest and understand that silence is golden. This book will guide us to use the full spectrum of the strategies that are contained in Sun Tzu’s The Art of War with a holistic approach to winning. This book contains 13 chapters and our team covered chapter 1 through 6. Book Summary Chapter 1 The strategies in The Art of War are based on Taoism. Taoism's...
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...Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León Facultad de Contaduría Pública y Administración International Business Program Finance VI Assignment: The Art of War by Sun Tzu & Risk Management Roberto Mauricio Sandoval Salazar Group: 8Vi ID: 1568794 Teacher: Eduardo Treviño Ciudad Universitaria de Nuevo León, February 28th, 201 The Art of War by Sun Tzu & Risk Management “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.” This quote comes from a translation of the Art of War by Sun Tzu, written in China in what is estimated to be 512 BC. It could seem farfetched to assert that this ancient quote is appropriate in today’s business environment, but it is actually a good metaphor for the challenges and rewards of enterprise risk management. To adapt it to the business context, let’s pacify and update the quote by removing battles and enemies: battles will be business challenges and enemies will be risks threatening the success of your operations. Simply put, Sun Tzu posits that knowing your risks is not enough to ensure your success. Knowledge of the processes that may create the risks is also crucial for success. Incidentally, considering risks in a vacuum is also only half a solution. Obviously, the “succumb in every battle” outcome brought...
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...believed to be the author of The Art of War. This was an influential ancient Chinese book on military strategy. His work is thought to have had a considerable impact on Asian, and in particular Chinese, history and culture. The recognition of The Art of War grew during the 19th and 20th centuries and has continued to influence not only Asian culture and politics but western society as well (Cultural China, 2010).The Art of War, written during a period of constant war among seven nations seeking the full control of China, discusses how important it is for an organisation, in this case an army, to be controlled, organised and ready to exploit enemy’s weaknesses. The purpose of the text is to demonstrate that structure within an organisation and mutual philosophies shared i.e. confidence, solidity and even patience can give an organisation the best opportunity to succeed in the task ahead, in this case a war. The Art of War perceives that high leadership control is the most influential component to a firm’s success, similar theories can be shown today. For example, Fiedler’s Contingency theory suggests that a good task structure and strong leader-member relations bond forms an environment where a leader has high control of a situation and greater potential to be successful (Ornstein, A 2011). Traditional accounts describe Sun Tzu as a heroic general of the King of Wu (lived c. 544—496 BCE). Victories for Sun Tzu were what inspired him to write The Art of War (McNeilly, M 2003). When Sun Tzu wrote...
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...THE ART OF WAR By: Sun Tzu The Art of War is one of the oldest and most successful books on military strategy in the world. It has been the most famous and influential of China's Seven Military Classics: "for the last two thousand years it remained the most important military treatise in Asia, where even the common people knew it by name. It has had an influence on Eastern military thinking, business tactics, and beyond. The Art of War has been applied to many fields well outside of the military. Much of the text is about how to fight wars without actually having to do battle: it gives tips on how to outsmart one's opponent so that physical battle is not necessary. As such, it has found application as a training guide for many competitive endeavors that do not involve actual combat. There are business books applying its lessons to "office politics" and corporate strategy. Many Japanese companies make the book required reading for their key executives. The book is also popular among Western business management, who have turned to it for inspiration and advice on how to succeed in competitive business situations. It has also been applied to the field of education. The Art of War has been the subject of various law books and legal articles on the trial process, including negotiation tactics and trial strategy The book art of war by Sun Tzu is a very interesting subject matter for strategies. Although the book is written from a military perspective a lot of...
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...Throughout most of history, art was seen as a luxury that only few people were privileged or wealthy enough to enjoy and experience. Whether it was during the Renaissance or civil rights campaign, many people were not able to attend the latest art shows or musical offerings because they had no place in such a revered luxurious setting with people of far higher social status (Dearborn Academy). Despite this roadblock to experiencing the big names in art and music of their time, people still had a passion for the arts and had opportunities to experience them at smaller, less known, places. As society has progressed over the years, art slowly has become more and more accessible to the people- as it should be. In fact, I believe that without an audience, art cannot be truly considered art. “Art is a social label, a negotiation between the artist, object (or performance), and the viewer” (Best). Art should be made for the people and not be limited to certain audiences. An artist should create with the goal of connecting to as many people as possible through their work. As stated earlier, historically, art has been seen as something only the privileged could truly appreciate. This could not be farther from the truth! Art is something that everyone can enjoy, experience, and strive to understand. Art should not discriminate or exclude a certain audience, it should bring together all people to evoke a response, send a message, or to maybe just enjoy looking at. During class, we were...
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...Introduction The Art of War is attributed to Sun Zi, and was originally called the “Sun Tzu Bing Fa”, or simply the Sun Zi. It written by Sun Wu about 500B.C. Sun Zi Art of War is the oldest military treatise in the world. Highly compressed, it is devote the principles and still retain such of its original authoritative merit. To the military student able to adapt its principles to modern warfare, it even now, twenty-five centuries after its preparation, is a valuable guide for the conduct of war. Although the chariot has gone and weapons have changed, this ancient master holds his own, since he deals with fundamentals, with the influence of politics and human nature on military operations. He shows in a striking way how unchanging these principles are. Therefore, Sun Zi Art of War contain with 13 chapters. There are: 1) Detailed Assessment and Planning 2) Waging War 3) Strategic Attack 4) Disposition of the Army 5) Forces 6) Weaknesses and Strengths 7) Military Maneuvers 8) Variations and Adaptability 9) Movement and Development of Troops 10) Terrain 11) The nine Battlegrounds 12) Attacking with Fire 13) Intelligence and Espionage Sun Zi’s Art of War is not only an art of war, but also a teaching material for MBA and applied into the business by modern businessperson today. Therefore, it is important to understand the exact meaning and implication of the work, in order to be familiar with the circumstances prevailing at...
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...War in the Office: A comparison of “Art of War” and “Drive: The Surprising Truth about What Motivates Us”. Many major theories and teachings from the non-business world can be learned and successfully applied just as effectively as those skills learned in the business work place. I became more and more convinced of this statement after reading two relatively similar books on the topics of War and personal success. Although both topics seem farfetched and distant from each other they happen to contain a lot of similar themes and ideas. Contrary to what the title suggests, the main point of the “Art of War” is to convince readers that in times of war or conflict, information and knowledge are the greatest weapons one can possess. Many individuals tend to look at the book in the wrong light simply due to the fact that it has the word “war” in its title. Scholars believe that the Art of War was written around 2,500 years ago. Sun Tsu (the author of the novel) was a high-ranking military general who took his endeavors as serious as any other high profile military figure. The business based novel I selected (book #2) to read is titled “Drive: The Surprising Truth about What Motivates Us”. Drive is written by Daniel H. Pink, A critically acclaimed writer and Yale/NorthWestern university professor. While both books are similar and contain elements of non-fiction advise. “Drive’s” central argument is that “Autonomy, Mastery, and Purpose” should be the three most practiced areas or fields...
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...Introduction to Sun Tzu's Art of War Sun Tzu's The Art of War is the most famous work on military operations in ancient China. Being the oldest military treatise in the world, it is one of the greatest cultural legacies of the Chinese nation. Sun Tzu's The Art of War is a classic on military operations and the most influential in the world today. Sun Tzu or Sun Zi (孙子) is traditionally believed to be the author of The Art of War. Sun has had a significant impact on Chinese and Asian history and culture, both as an author of the Art of War and as a legendary figure. Historians have questioned whether or not Sun was an authentic historical figure. Traditional accounts place him in the Spring and Autumn Period of China (722–481 BCE) as a heroic general of the King of Wu who lived c. 544—496 BCE. Scholars accepting his historicity place his supposed writing The Art of War in the Warring States Period (476–221 BCE), based on the descriptions of warfare in the text. Traditional accounts state that his descendant, Sun Bin, also wrote a master treatise on military tactics. Historians have questioned whether or not Sun was a real historical figure. According to traditional sources, such as the 2nd century BCE biography written by Sima Qian, Sun was born in Qi (now Shandong Province) during the Spring and Autumn Period of China (722–481 BCE). His real family name is Tian, but the last name of Sun was given by King of Qi State to his family when his grandfather, a general for Qi...
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...History of Sun Zi Art of War The Art of War or “Sun Wu’s Military Science” is a Chinese military treatise written by Sun Tzu during the spring and autumn period in the 6th century BC. The book is composed of 13 chapters, with the first chapter "laying plans" as the principal line. It consists of laying plans, waging war, strategic attack, disposition of the army, forces, weakness and strengths, military manoeuvres, variations and adaptability, movement and deployment of troops, terrain, the nine battlegrounds, attacking with fire, and lastly, intelligence and espionage. Sun Zi Art of War is one of the oldest and successful books on military strategy. It presents a philosophy of war in managing conflicts ad winning battles. Its strategies and philosophical thoughts stated have been widely practiced and used in all fields such as military affairs, politics and economics especially in the business nowadays. The Art of War was translated into the French language in the year of 1772 by French Jesuit Jean Joseph Marie Amiot. It was then translated into English by British officer Everard Ferguson Calthrop in the year of 1905. It has influenced military leaders such as Napoleon Bonarpate, Mao Zedong, Vo Nguyen Giap and General Douglas MacArthur.(The Art of War - Chinese Ancient Military Treatise, n.d.) During the Sengoku era in Japan, a Samurai named Takeda Shingen is said to have become nearly invincible in battle without relying on guns.(as cited in Shawn Conners, Lionel Giles...
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