How It Works
How It Works
Overview
Positional Strategy
Expansion
Strategy
Situational Strategy
Strategic
Innovation Overview
Situational Strategy
Situational strategy is the study of the appropriate response to
specific situations. This is the most detailed and advanced component of the
science. It is used for (1) identifying the nature of opportunities, (2)
moving into new areas, (3) responding appropriately to threats, and (4)
understanding the best method for neutralizing an opponent. It requires
understanding the range of conditions that shape a competitive situation
and the appropriate responses those different conditions require.
In responding to situations, all decisions must be made consciously and
quickly. Even the decision not to act must be a choice rather than the
result of indecision. You must quickly choose the best imperfect available
alternative rather than waiting indefinitely for a perfect alternative. It
is better to choose nonaction if all available actions are too expensive
and risky. Fast, short moves are always more powerful than long, large
moves. Smaller, faster groups make more progress than larger, slower
groups. You create strategic leverage by putting a small amount of the
right resources in exactly the right position to create the maximum
advantage.
You must adapt your responses to the specifics of your situation in
order to move. All situations consist of a number of specific conditions
that are well defined within classical strategy—the four types of ground, six ground forms, nine common situations, six types of
organizations, five faults of leaders, and so on. Situational strategy
teaches the specific responses necessary to adapt to each specific
condition. These responses are mixed like ingredients to respond to the specific combinations of conditions that make
up any specific real-world
situation.
In classical strategy, competition is completely different from conflict. Since all conflict is costly and the goal of front-line strategy
is to make victory pay, success is more certain when conflict is avoided.
Threatening conflict is only cost effective when it decreases the chances
of actual conflict. When conflict is unavoidable, you must control the
time, place, expectations, and reports of that conflict. If you set up
fights so that they are unfair, you are less likely to get involved in
them.
Since perceptions create reality and reality creates perceptions, the
least costly way to overcome resistance is by doing what is unexpected
but appropriate at a critical time. At a critical turning
point, expectations must be leveraged by an innovative approach. An
appropriate surprise alone can overcome specific obstacles. Though
innovation cannot be predicted,
classical strategy has its own approach to innovation that starts by
mixing the responses required by situational strategy.
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