“Art of War” by Sun Tzu

This book consists of 13 chapters, it discusses all different types of war. It’s smart book, poetic, repetitive and mysterious.

The first chapter, 'Planning”, discuss the five central factors that determine competitive position (task, weather, land, leading, and methods) and how to assess your competitive strengths against those of your competitor. This discussion ends with the thought that information in a competitive environment is set and that understanding are frequently very different from reality. This conflict between objective and subjective information is one of the essence influence points for the working of his strategic system.

The second chapter, “Waging War” explains the economic nature of rivalry. It explains how success requires making winning pay, which in turn requires limiting the price of competition and battle. This chapter is important to realize why Sun Tzu coaches 'winning without conflict.' By determination, battle is costly. Beating enemies and winning battles might sate the arrogance, but Sun Tzu considers that goal a silly one.Bottom of Form

The third chapter “Attack by Stratagem” explains the nature of power. It is significant to realize that by 'attack,' Sun Tzu seeks particularly the thought of going into a new dominion, not necessarily conflict. Theoretically, you must extend or promote your current position in order to get through. While not attacking is less expensive than attacking over the short term, there must be a change, otherwise defense will bring failure.

The fourth chapter “Tactical Disposition” shows how a commander use the enemy’s position. Your strength to defend yourself and to attack are both depend on your present location or position. To achieve what you want, you have to begin from where you are standing. You do not make gaps or chances that you require to attack because the circumstances is too big and hard to control. Alternately, you have to know how to realize chances that are made by changes in the around circumstances.

The fifth chapter “Energy” discuss the power that make all people aspire: Creativity is one of the reasons that makes the battle field complex and forecasting is hard. The person creativity is unlimited. It’s unlimited capability makes the chances for the person fortune and improvement infinite too. Yet, this imagination has to be connected to the real world. Imagination doesn’t work by itself. It has to be coupled with confirmed ways, that is, existing background, to be efficient. Together, they make what Sun called steam or force.

The sixth chapter “Weak Points and Strong” tests the 'circulatory system” of aggressive surroundings, the main technique of change. There is a balance in the world. Emptiness is loaded. Surplus is unload. Sun Tzu apply this method to show the deeper meaning of chances. The large number of properties in the surroundings can be minimize to emptiness and fullness. More significantly, people needs are all compose of emptiness, and people output is all compose of fullness. Using chances is broadly putting yourself in the surroundings to tap into the flow between them.

The seventh chapter “Maneuvering” shows the risks of direct battle. Conflict with others for resources is seductive if you don’t know the right meaning of opportunity and creativity. Yet, despite the fact that battle is better to be averted, that cannot always happen. In those circumstances, you have to know how to get the balance in your side during any conflict.

The eighth chapter “Variation in Tactics” concentrates on the desire to adapt to the circumstances you face. This chapter helps as the introduction for the following three chapters. These chapters talk about multiples of particular responses to particular circumstances. This chapter introduce the idea that each circumstance is different however that it… During the time that we should be creative and adaptable, we should also act within the rules of standard responses and not respond out of ego.

The ninth chapter “The Army on the March” explains the different circumstances in when you discover yourself moving into new aggressive field. It describes what those circumstances mean and how to act upon. Most of it concentrate on estimating the purpose of others.

The tenth chapter “Terrain” tests the three common of resistance (distance, barriers and risks). This chapter talk about a lot of details about how you should respond during conflict situations. It explains the six field situations and how they can be used to be beneficial and how they can be a reason for defeat.

The eleventh chapter “The Nine Situations” explains nine known circumstances in conflict or aggressive campaign and realizing and response needed in each. These nine situations can be largely gathered in early, middle and late situations and they can be ranged from propagation to deadly. In each one of these nine situations, there is only one and only one suitable action or response.

The twelfth chapter “The Attack by Fire” talks about surroundings attacks and appropriate responses. In the writer’s time the most deadly attack was fire attack, and in this chapter it discus how to use it and survive if been attacked. In this chapter it discuss how to not be affected by emotions in using weapons while competition.

The last chapter “The Use of Spies” discusses very important topic: gathering information. It particularly focuses on the ways and values of evolving useful information sources. It discusses specific types of resources and the way to manage them. In this chapter the writer made it clear that all wars are information wars.

I cannot limit the audience of the book to a specific people. I suggest this book for students, businessmen, anyone who wants to be a manger and leader of a team to use this old technique and implement it into our modern life. This book is effective in most of it. The only thing is not is the book is not really easy to read, and it’s very deep that it’s hard to compare to our simple life and some business jobs. Overall, it’s very good classic book to read. This book is good for our practical life if we really get into it and understand the big picture behind it and apply the lessons in situations we face in our world.

Cite this page