Preview

Art of War Critique

Satisfactory Essays
Open Document
Open Document
450 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Art of War Critique
Critique: The Art of War by Sun Tzu

The concepts presented in the treatise by Sun Tzu in order to win battles originally intended for ancient China is so encompassing that it can be used in business and even in life today. Last night, i had an discussion with my friend regarding the similarities of war and of business. She told me that one her favorite books is The Art of War, so i asked her if she agreed that business is like war. She told me, "yeah". She told me that according to Sun Tzu, engaging in war in order to win battles involves tremendous amount of strategies. It involves knowing yourself and knowing your enemy. This knowing involves identifying your not only your strengths and weakness but also your enemy's. You should always use your strengths and focus it on the enemy's weaknesses. Also important is that you take advantage on the opportunities and avoid threats.

Hearing all of this, it reminds me of the strategic management model of Fred R. David. Fred R. David's model empahsizes the use of external and internal audit so as to identify the external opportunities and threats as well as the company's internal strengths and weaknesses. So, did Fred R. David got his inspiration from The Art of War written about 2500 years ago?

It is obvious that Sun Tzu's objectives in war is to win it. However in business, there's not much difference. All businesses except the non profit ones are always engaging with its competitors in order to get a bigger slice of the market or market share. It is a daily battle for business with it rival firms, a battle against new competition, new productor service substitute. It should always prowl for information in order to gain competitive advantage.

Sun tzu also highlighted the need for quick response to ever changing environment. Is this idea ever different from the business environment we are having today? Not at all. Also, he highlighted the minimum but smart use of resources in battle. Is this not related to

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Satisfactory Essays

    Written by Chinese tactician Sun Tzu, the Art of War presents the basic principles of warfare and gives military leaders advice and instructions on when and how to fight. The Art of War is written in a very simple and direct manner. Sun Tzu’s work can easily be grasped and his principles understood. There is however a strong sense of morality required to achieving success with these principles. Approached in a holistic and integrated way, each principle is interlocked with the others to form a sum greater than its parts in a direct and concise…

    • 96 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Better Essays

    Sun Zi’s ideas on The Art of War is a trait of exploiting human behavior in conflict, especially in war. The Art of War ideas are…

    • 2231 Words
    • 9 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Vietnam has a subtropical climate with high precipitation and warm weather. This caused monsoons to bring heavy rains and cause many jungles to grow around Vietnam’s land. The hot climate allowed tall grasses to grow up to 10 feet tall that were likely to cut one’s skin causing many people to get sick in the scorching heat. Vietnam’s…

    • 479 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    In my opinion, no, it doesn’t. Both people are in the wrong in some ways, but Washington seems to have more of a right. He tried to bring peace and didn’t really like killing. Mohammed said killing was life and that you have to.…

    • 274 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    To most people war is a way that we settle disputes with other nations, but they don’t fully understand the intricate details that go along with it. Its not just about the guns, gernades and tanks, it brings out different aspects of soldiers personalities and I think should be more focused on the hardships that individual and groups of soldiers endure. The horrific situations that soldiers undergo can cause different types of actions that they would take because war is contradictory. Soldiers experience unimaginable stress that can make them appear weak or strong. Which is the biggest contradiction that war presents; war makes you strong and war makes you weak. There are numerous examples which can easily be found in the book The things they carried by Tim O’brien. Two stories that demonstrate it best are “the man I killed” and “speaking of courage.” Looking back through history also farther promotes the idea, like when America created the atomic bomb, and started a draft.…

    • 440 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Lao Tzu Vs Machiavelli

    • 688 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Lao Tzu talks about the art of living in peace, deep wisdom and world with no wars or fighting. He believes that Weapons are tools used to fear people and the wise man should avoid using them, except in the dire necessity. Which means to act only when it's necessary. Unlike Machiavelli who thinks that the strength of your country should be measured by the ability to fight. In his opinion, it helps you to take control over the country and gain respect. But according to Lao Tzu, you cannot gain…

    • 688 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    For Sun Tzu was “a leader” in his nation that believed that a great leader “leads by example and not by force,” which made his fellow leaders and state citizens have some doubts about him. (31) Sun Tzu believed that a peaceful leader who acts right will create a cause that his people will follow, but this shows weakness to fellow leaders who wanted to lead by power and force. The relations with people would produce an improvement in society and how even leaders can be a mockingbirds that care for its people. He also came to the conclusion that if a leader negotiates, then wars can be fought without causalities. His teachings spreading, Sun Tzu showing the others leaders that “an enemy's resistance can be often broken without armed conflict.” (30) This quote by Sun Tzu brought the ideas that if a leader acted as a smart and peaceful leader to his people and people of other allegiances, he could wage war without fighting, yet win and benefit all the people. He wanted to help everyone, even if they didn't fall under the same governing power. Sun Tzu was a revolutionary in peace even though he was a strategist and general of war because he believed in a better way to improve his world and nation without a war of death, but rather a war of wit. “Sun Tzu advocates maintaining a strong defense” which will protect his people without violence, “and forming alliances with neighboring states,” to promote peace through the land.(30) Showing the world that if a leader could wage violence, Sun Tzu was be friendly or neutral with his neighbors, causing that nation would be successful with little fighting done, but he was a realist who needed to leave his nation protected. This…

    • 1305 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The act of war has been depicted in art since the beginning of human cultural development. Three famous works spanning the neoclassical, romantic and post-impressionism periods have expressed a wide range of emotion by the artists when visually describing both the honor and horror of war. “The Oath of the Horatii” by Jacques-Louis David, “The Third of May 1808, the Execution of the Defenders of Madrid” by Francisco Goya, and “Guernica” by Pablo Picasso are three unique works that consist of a wide array of artistic elements to show what their creators thought about war.…

    • 595 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Works of art have depicted many narratives of war. Most of these images describe the events of war but also in describing the war they also show the general attitudes. Attitudes of this have been changing as wars have advanced from the power of kingdoms to antiwar views. Many of these changes took place as artists started to gain creative freedom. Four images that express the depictions of war through time are an Ancient Greek Amphora dating back to 530 B.C., The Third of May 1808 by Francisco Goya, Guernica by Pablo Picasso and Famine Victim in a Feeding Center by James Nachtwey.…

    • 863 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The Good War Analysis

    • 1085 Words
    • 5 Pages

    One usually associate war with slaughter and envy. War is a serious commitment and places financial burdens on the countries involved. In Studs Terkel’s book, The Good War, he reveals first hand accounts of war veterans and people involved in World War II. Most of these interviewers share their tortuous times at war, but enjoy talking about the good times they had. This gives light to personal development and positive gains that came from war. In my paper, I will focus on how some good came out of the bloodbath of World War II.…

    • 1085 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    The Peloponnesian War

    • 2407 Words
    • 10 Pages

    What were Athens’ and Sparta’s political objectives at the beginning of the Peloponnesian War? To what extent did Athens and Sparta pursue strategies compatible with their political objectives?…

    • 2407 Words
    • 10 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    Just War Essay

    • 557 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Many extreme pacifists reject the concept of just war and all justifications for violence. I actually disagree with the extreme pacifist that rejects the concept of just war and all justifications for violence. I feel that sometime war is something that just has to be done in order for people to solve curtain conflicts. St. Augustine is the known as the first one actually noted to be the founder of the theory of just war. A Just war is a theory that deals with the reason on why and how curtain wars are fought. The concept on a just war can be justified by concept of just war or the historical origin of just war reasoning. The just war aspect is about the ethical reasons on why they war is justified, and if that was last step that could have been…

    • 557 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    2. Helping the Soviets with the Lend-Lease act and providing them with jeeps, trucks, food, aircraft, and locomotives, which allowed the Soviets to focus on tank production and defeat the Germans…

    • 766 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    War is hell. Literally. In an instant, in the blink of an eye, the world as we know it is torn apart and shredded. Normality explodes into atrocity as we see the depths of depravity that man can sink to. Even though their reasons for painting the pictures are different, Goya’s Third of May, 1808, and Picasso’s Guernica are testaments to the violence of war using specific events and symbolic features as their vehicle while their representations and styles are different.…

    • 1292 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Better Essays

    Art of War an Application

    • 1763 Words
    • 8 Pages

    TMC started their first battle in the year of 1967. The organization’s operation goes rampant and had won the battle for two consecutive years, however, TMC experienced their first ever so-called defeat when the organization started to experience bankruptcy. Among Sun Tzu’s five (5) fundamental factors that defines successful outcome, one important factor was not achieved by the TMC’s Officers; that is “The Way”. When the organization experienced their bankruptcy, it was only later they realized that they are a group of doctors experienced in medical practices and operations; that they are no master in terms of financial and administrative operations. During those times, TMC is having insufficient strength and temporarily took on the defensive side.…

    • 1763 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Better Essays