Art of War in Business

People often rise to a level of incompetence - says the Peter’s principle. However, 150 years before Lawrence Peter, Prussian General Karl von Clausewitz, in his treatise Vom Kriege, has noted: "There are generals who have no idea about leading an army." At war, as in business, we need to resolve many conflicts, and we encounter free will of out opponents, who try to meet their goals. Can we think about using the principles of warfare in company management? The history shows that indeed it was, and is, possible.

This book tries to summarize the similarities between art of war and art of business, by discussing military theories and events, and then finding out their business relevance. The oldest written military doctrine, Sun Zi’s Art of War, is applicable to business management as well. This book also tries to discover traits of a successful manager by analyzing the traits of outstanding military commanders. It is by no means a comprehensive book of the subject, but, rather, it is intended as a starting point for one’s own personal development.

(Also available in Polish.)