HIDE A DAGGER BEHIND A SMILE

Today’s global economy is a battleground. To survive and thrive, you’ll need every weapon you can get. Microsoft, Sony, and Starbucks use business practices based on the ancient Chinese military text The Thirty-Six Stratagems – now you can, too.

Business is warfare. Western business has been inculcated in the belief that business is about win/win solutions. However, in today’s global marketplace there isn’t fairness – there are winners and losers. Today’s competitive terrain calls for new tactics as well as an understanding of how your opponents approach the world.Using ancient Eastern philosophy and military tactics from “The 36 Stratagems”, “Hide a Dagger Behind a Smile” shows how to create unpredictable corporate strategies.

Weaving the story of each strategy with contemporary case studies from top business and strategic management schools, each chapter analyses a company’s situation, options, decisions and results.The book is divided into four parts: Polarity – explores the balance of opposing forces; Yielding – illustrates alternatives to confrontations; Continuous Change – shows how to thrive in fluid situations; and, Indirect Action – proposes alternatives to head-on conflict.”Hide a Dagger Behind a Smile” is a timely and timeless resource for executives and corporate strategists looking to win their most contentious battles.

Published: February 1, 2008 Platinum Press