The China Factor

Chapter 1The Art of War…and Money

What the ancients called a clever fighter is one who not only wins, but excels in winning with ease.

—Sun Tzu, The Art of War

The Art of War is an ancient Chinese military treatise created over 2,500 years ago by Sun Tzu. Translated many times over the years, and garnering more popularity in the West over the past couple of centuries, The Art of War emphasizes the importance of positioning in military strategy. Its tactics and strategies have more recently been extrapolated into business applications.

Sun Tzu maintained that decisions about positioning an army must be based on both objective conditions in the physical environment and the subjective beliefs of competitive players in that environment. He advocated planning a strategy but also acknowledged that unexpected situations arise—and held that the need to adapt is crucial.

The quality of being fluid and adapting your strategy based on your competitor and changes in the environment is one key element that you will take away from this book.

Knowledge is another key Art of War principle. By sharing the background of what has taken place in the global marketplace and by analyzing the tactics of emerging entrants, we aspire to contribute to the success of your global expansion strategy.

China Has Risen and Is Here to Stay

Let's take a look at the state of the world today: that is, the conditions as they relate to the social and economic trends that involve and affect China and the West. ...