| After crossing the mountains, move and stay close | | | | prepared to engage them. Another reason for the |
| to the valleys. For a commanding view and to ensure | | | | commanding view is to be familiarize with the |
| better chances of survival, occupy high grounds. | | | | surrounding terrain. Having a good knowledge of the |
| When the enemy has occupied high grounds, do not | | | | surrounding terrain would allow one to change plans |
| attempt an assault. These are principles for deploying | | | | with great confidence since the conditions in war are |
| troops in mountainous terrain. Chapter Nine, Sun Tzu | | | | very dynamic |
| Art of War | | | | In business, this means that you should have as |
| Above are the principles of moving into mountainous | | | | much information about your enemy and the market |
| region. Let us look at how these principles can be | | | | as well. With more information, you can be more |
| applied to business. | | | | detailed in your plans and be better prepared to take |
| Business Application | | | | on your competitors with confidence. |
| "After crossing the mountains, move and stay close | | | | When the enemy has occupied high grounds, do not |
| to the valleys." | | | | attempt an assault. |
| The reason why Sun Tzu advocates that after | | | | The reason why Sun Tzu mentioned this is because |
| crossing the mountains, the troops are to stay close | | | | high grounds can turn the enemy's troops into round |
| to the valleys because this is where usually food and | | | | logs and boulders rolling down and from the verse |
| water are abundant and close by. From here and | | | | mentioned at the end of Chapter Five (Please refer |
| other parts of Sun Tzu Art of War, we have seen | | | | to my article "Two Essential Factors To Tap |
| that Sun Tzu place great emphasis on supplies and | | | | Momentum In Strategy"), we have known that these |
| provisions, as they are very important to troops. | | | | rolling logs and boulders have very destructive |
| Thus it is important that there is a continuous supply. | | | | effects and strong momentum. |
| In business, it is of great importance that you are | | | | In business, we must avoid a competitor who has |
| near raw materials supplies or have at least two | | | | the benefit of rising momentum. This means that he |
| transport routes for both your raw materials and | | | | was able to tap on certain trends that are ongoing. |
| finished goods. Try to establish good relationship with | | | | The other thing we can do besides avoiding head on |
| suppliers and distributors. Do not depend on only one | | | | clash with such competitor is to try to limit damages. |
| supplier or distributor because you are exposing | | | | For example, a competitor is able to come up with an |
| yourself to unnecessary risk. | | | | innovative product that captures the new consumer |
| For a commanding view and to ensure better | | | | trends. This will definitely erode the market share you |
| chances of survival, occupy high grounds. | | | | have. One way to limit the damage could be to have |
| Sun Tzu also advocates that a troop should occupy | | | | promotion or sales gimmicks to retain protect your |
| high grounds so as to have a commanding view and | | | | market share. |
| also to use the momentum provided. Why do you | | | | So above are the three lessons we can learn from |
| need a commanding view of the surroundings? The | | | | Sun Tzu's principles of deploying troops in |
| reason is because you would be able to notice when | | | | mountainous region. |
| your enemy's is approaching and you can be | | | | |