2. The book
-published in 1954
-revised edition
It has 4 parts:
- Strategy from 5th BC to 20th
century AD
- Strategy of World War I
- Strategy of World War II
- Fundamentals of Strategy and
Grand Strategy
3. The Author
Basil Henry Liddell
Hart
British soldier,
military, historian
and leading inter
war-theorist
4. What is strategy?
The science or art of combining and
employing the means of war in planning and
directing large military movements and
operations
A plan, method or series of maneuvers
strategems obtaining a specific goal or result
(www.dictionary.com)
5. Indirect Approach
Liddell Hart’s principle in war strategizing
“In strategy the longest way round is often
the shortest way there; a direct approach
to the object exhausts the attacker and
hardens the resistance by compression,
whereas an indirect approach loosens
the defender's hold by upsetting his
balance.”
6. 8 Maxims of Strategy
1. Adjust your end to your means.
2. Keep your object always in mind, while adapting
your plan to circumstances.
3. Choose the line (or course) of least expectation.
4. Exploit the lines of least resistance – so long as it
can lead you to any objective that would
contribute to your underlying object.
5. Take a line of operation which offers alternative
objectives.
6. Ensure that both plans and dispositions are
flexible – adaptable to circumstances.
7. Do not throw your weight into a stroke whilst your
opponent is on guard – whilst he is well place to
parry or evade it.
8. Do not renew an attack along the same line (or
in the same form) after it has once failed.
7. In relation to business…
Indirect approach
Make a move that is least expected by the
competitors – surprise them by your
innovations
Attack on a weak part that would create
an imbalance to your competitors
The competitors will be in a state of
imbalance by being confused on how to
react on a situation
Attacking directly will keep them strong
because they already prepared for it
8. “Keep your object always in mind, while
adapting your plan to circumstances.”
Think more of the objective
of your business and focus on
attaining it, avoid distractions
Learn to produce quality
products/services, create
specific steps on how to
achieve this
Think very well if the moves
you’ll be doing is worth
taking, like, what
products/services to offer;
how to sell it; what is the
target market; how do we Example: To be the best maker of
allocate our resources; cell phones as well as be the
how could we maximize most innovative in the world or to
our earnings; and how to be the leading service-provider of
manage the business. database software in industries in
the country
9. “Choose the line (or course) of
least expectation. “
Think of the competitor’s
weakness and put your shoes
on them by thinking on how
to respond
As for you to make further
steps on how to strengthen
that weak area
Hear the voice of your
customers regularly through
surveys and even casual
interviews, they may have
Example: Your competitor is not
suggestions and comments
on your products/services
innovative and slow in
launching new
products/services; add
something new to a product
10. “Exploit the lines of least resistance – so long
as it can lead you to any objective that would
contribute to your underlying object.”
Once a move or plan is
done, take the
opportunity to do more,
handle and manage
your business well so as
to be closer to the goal
Make sure to maintain,
sustain and support your
product/services
Let the customers crave
for more of what you
offer
Example: When Samsung
launched Galaxy S III,
customers craved for it, S III
received 9million pre-
orders
11. “Ensure that both plans and dispositions are
flexible – adaptable to circumstances.”
Back up plan is needed,
whether a plan succeeds or
fails
Device a plan in continuing
success and device also a
plan on how to get rid of
failure
Example: Apple vs. Samsung
According to Mr. Anshul Gupta,
Principal Research Analyst at
Gartner, Inc, both companies are
dominating smartphone market,
the 2 companies managed to
make the customers anticipate
for its new apps and features
12. Table 1
Worldwide Mobile Device Sales to End Users by Vendor in 2Q12 (Thousands of Units)
Company 2Q12 2Q12 2Q11 2Q11
Units Market Units Market
Share (%) Share (%)
Samsung 90,432.1 21.6 69,827.6 16.3
Nokia 83,420.1 19.9 97,869.3 22.8
Apple 28,935.0 6.9 19,628.8 4.6
ZTE 17,936.4 4.3 13,070.2 3.0
LG Electronics 14,345.4 3.4 24,420.8 5.7
Huawei Device 10,894.2 2.6 9,026.1 2.1
TCL
Communications 9,355.7 2.2 7,938.9 1.9
HTC 9,301.2 2.2 11,016.1 2.6
Motorola 9,163.2 2.2 10,221.4 2.4
Research In
Motion 7,991.2 1.9 12,652.3 3.0
Others 137,233.4 32.8 152,989.70 35.7
Total 419,007.90 100.0 428,661.15100.0
From Gartner report “Market Share:
Mobile Devices, Worldwide, 2Q12
13. “Do not renew an attack along the
same line (or in the same form) after it
has once failed.”
If the first plan or trial
fails, do not start again
on that same spot.
The competitors will
have an idea on your
next move, they can
prepare and
strengthen their force
on that area
Reserve your next best
unexpected option in
another style
