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Sun Tzu: The Art of War for Managers; 50 Strategic Rules

Sun Tzu: The Art of War for Managers; 50 Strategic Rules

List Price: $10.95
Your Price: $8.21
Product Info Reviews

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Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Effective strategies for handling a multitude of conflicts
Review: "Make an estimate of the situation" and "fight only the battles you can win," are but two of the strategic rules outlined in Gerald A. Michaelson's translation of "The Art of War". Chinese strategist, Sun Tzu wrote the original 7000-word treatise 2500 years ago, and today his view of military strategy continues to be studied worldwide, not only by military commanders but also by others who seek to develop a winning strategy. "The Art of War for Managers" is an excellent book, easy to read with translations of the ancient text boiled down to fifty short simple rules that can be used by managers in a variety of career fields. Each of the thirteen chapters serves to group the strategic rules for easy reference and study while providing a "Manager's Commentary" which serves as a contemporary example of Sun Tzu's strategic points. Michaelson also provides his readers with a section of detailed examples from managers who have adopted one or more of Sun Tzu's strategies, as well as an outline of the key concepts detailed in each chapter. In the West, we tend to have the attitude that we must win all of the time, or win at any cost. Michaelson's translation and interpretation of Sun Tzu provides insight that suggests that we must choose our battles rather than fight every battle, and that there are ways to win without fighting at all. Each of the fifty strategic rules in this book will provide the reader the opportunity to develop effective strategies to handle a multitude of conflicts, and is well worth the time investment.

Rating: 2 stars
Summary: unfortunately dry
Review: i was thrilled to see a new gerald michaelson bok on the shelf. so, i bought it with great anticipation. however, i've found it very dry. michaelson quotes sun tzu and gives quick summaries and examples from the corporate world. michaelson also features sun tzu quotes that have been interpreted by other writers and strategists. these interpretations are frequently word for word -- or darn close. for instance g.m. might quote sun tzu as saying "the sky is blue." then, underneath it, he'll feature two or three others interpreting sun tzu saying, "if you look at the sky it is blue." wow! what keen insight! i was very disappointed with this book -- it's dry. I found myself falling asleep whenever i opened it up. read "winning the marketing war" instead. my copy has been highlighted again and again and again. "winning the marketing war" offers real world advice applicable to any business. "the art of war for managers" does not.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Sun Tzu in a new translation with helpful commentary
Review: Michaelson clarifies Sun Tzu's military strategy in this new translation and commentary. The book contains 50 excerpts from The Art of War with commentary on the facing page. These thoughts link Sun Tzu's strategies to the struggles of modern business.

What I found particularly pleasing about this book is that Michealson deciphers the sometimes mystifying advice from Sun Tzu, relates it to Western corporations, and gives examples.

This book should be useful to anyone who makes business strategy or is in the unenviable position of implementing someone else's strategy.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: A required field manual for marketing war competitors.
Review: Michaelson's subject, predicate,and direct object style of writing in "Sun Tzu:The Art of War for Managers" makes this reading a professional must for all hands who would venture into the marketing wars. Michaelson applies Sun Tzu's ancient theories on the strategy (Doing the right thing!) and tactics (Doing things right!)to the dynamics of corporate business today.Michaelson has condensed much of the previous good information he passed in his earlier book, "Winning the Marketing War".I would recommend this latest effort by Gerald Michaelson to all young Americans entering the competitive world of business. As a former Marine, I would place it at the same level as our "Small Wars Manual" and the "Landing Party Manual", and these manuals equated to the Bible as far as I was concerned. The truth is out there, and Gerald Michaelson will help to show you the way. Semper Fidelis, Bruce M. Mac Laren Colonel, U.S. Marine Corps (ret)

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: A poor attempt at understanding a great book
Review: Michealson's book was recommended to our book club and I bought it with great excitement and joy. That joy lasted only a chapter or two. It was immediately apparent that little research had gone into to the book's relevance to managers in business. The examples were less than helpful, the author's ideas jumped around, leaps of logic were offered as fact...I actually stopped reading half way through the book and wondered what I would do when the book club met.

Of the 12 people who showed to that meeting, none thought it was a useful read, I apologized for picking the book. Personally I have also read the AOW for Executives by Krause, another very poor read. If you don't mind a longer read, try Sun Tzu and the Art of Business by McNeilly. He does a decent job, but he too gets lost in his expertise of Vietnam military tactics and other armed conflicts, but he knows more about what he writes than others.

I wish I could say something more positive, so save your money, time and wait for someone to write something that connects the 13 chapters to current business problems.


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