A NO-NONSENSE BOOK THAT DELIVERS AN ABUNDANCE OF SUBSTANCE!

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	• Strategy Moves: 14 Complete Attack and Defence Strategies for Competitive Advantage Jorge Alberto Souza De Vasconcellos e Sa FT Press, 2005 - 256 pages average customer review:based on 20 reviews view larger image
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highly recommended

A NO-NONSENSE BOOK THAT DELIVERS AN ABUNDANCE OF SUBSTANCE!

A clear, detailed, informative explanation of attack and defense strategies. The book provides the most vivid use of military strategy to shed light and insight on effective business strategies. The author is extremely straightforward in presenting his ideas and conclusions. Cuts-to-the-chase; a no-nonsense book that delivers an abundance of substance. If it's military strategy, business strategy or, ideally, the linkages between the two that interest you, you'll appreciate this book. Highly recommended.

When and How to Attack and Defend

The scope and depth of Vasconcellos e Sá's material suggest that this book will be of greatest value to decision-makers who are primarily responsible for their respective organizations' strategic planning. As its author explains in the Preface, the book is guided and informed by four major principles common to both business competition and military combat:

First, nothing is written. "The leader who knows what strategies to carry out, when to perform them, and how to succeed in them, will win."

Second, these strategic rules are timeless. "Success -- both in business profitability and survival -- depends on following the existing rules. Those who make the least errors seize the largest victories."

Third, luck plays a significant part. That is, as von Clauswitz suggests, "business is uncertain -- just like war."

"Finally, these rules are of utmost importance since in business there are no armistices -- business is continuous and permanent. And in war there are usually only two sides -- in business there are many more. So business strategy, we argue, is more difficult than military strategy."

Therefore, these four principles lead to a unique statement: "[in italics] follow the rules. [end italics] Always."

The structure of this book is summarized in Table A.1, "What, when, and how." As it indicates, Vasconcellos e Sá discusses six "strategic movements" for attack in Chapter 3 and eight "strategic movements" for defense in Chapter 4, then in the next chapter explains when to initiate each of the fourteen. In Chapter 6, Vasconcell e Sé shifts his attention to the role of strategic alliances. Next, given the "whats" and "hows" discussed in Chapters 3 and 4, he suggests how a small firm can "internationalize. " He concludes by examining eight rules to follow to "deserve" success. If "deserve" seems an odd word to use, Vasconcellos e Sá reminds his reader that Winston Churchill once said (in effect) one can never be sure of success, one can only deserve it. Although I agree that following the rules of strategy substantially improves the prospect for success, doing so by no means guarantees it.

Of special interest to me is what Vasconcellos e Sá has to say about two examples from the Zulu War against the British in South Africa. "On the morning of 22 January 1879, a British invasion force of over 5000 men was heavily defeated by the Zulu army at Isandlwana. Then in the afternoon of the same day, little more than one hundred British soldiers achieved an astonishing victory at Rorke's Drift." (The latter is brilliantly portrayed in Zulu, a film co-starring Stanley Baker and Michael Caine.) The juxtaposition is compelling: The victors in both instances, the Zulus at Isandlwana and the British at Rorke's Drift, were numerically inferior. How and why did each prevail? What lessons can be learned that are relevant to today's business world? Vasconcellos e Sá addresses these and other issues.

Obviously, Vasconcellos e Sá is convinced that the various offensive and defensive "strategic movements" which he advocates will provide any organization (regardless of size or nature) with what will be, with few exceptions, a decisive competitive advantage. They are worthy of careful consideration even as it should be kept in mind that, whatever the "strategic movements" as Vasconcellos e Sá himself concedes, "nothing is written." That was certainly true of Lieutenant John Chard, commander of the British forces at Borke's Drift, who had no previous combat experience. None. He was required to improvise during preparations for defense and then when he and his men were under ferocious attack.

I hold this book in high regard because Vasconcellos e Sá devotes most of his attention to practical and effective application (the "whats, hows, and whys") of core concepts rather than marinating his reader with theories, hypotheses, etc. I also appreciate the fact that so much of the material is anchored in real-world events, and, that he enlivens his narrative with dozens of appropriate quotations.

Well-done!

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Un véritable manuel pratique

Vasconcellos e Sá signe un véritable manuel pratique, qui identifie au cas par cas les moyens de s'imposer face à la concurrence.

Motiver, observer, agir, puis porter le coup de grâce... l'esprit de conquête commence par une démarche méthodique.

Françoise Tollet, Directeur, Business Digest

The business classic of our time

Vasconcellos e Sá has painstankigly and with laser-like focus, pared business strategies down to six types of attack and eight types of defense. And then he further breaks these down to numbered criteria of how and when and where each one shoud be practiced.

He also gives the clearest explanation I have ever read about how Japan was able to enter the American automobile market with its subcompacts and motorcycles, and not only overcome its post-WWII image of poor design and cheap products, but carve out a huge market share in this country.

I predict this will become the business classic of our time.

C. L. Rossman, author of Renegade The Hunter

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A positive inspiration for strategists and policymakers

This elegantly written book is both a wake-up call and a positive inspiration for strategists and policymakers - alarming at times but also enjoyable for its treasure-trove of facts, historical insights and deep thinking, all lucidly expressed.

Carol Kennedy, The Director Magazine

reviews: 1, 2, 3, page 4

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