Making smart business manoeuvre

Manoeuvre is defined as a set of actions performed with skill and care to achieve limited objective in the short term yet to obtain vantage position in the long term. How to do that? 

In business and warfare you have got to out-smart your competitor and opponent at a given moment where the chips are either in favour of the counter party or equal to both you and the other. In military terms it is a planned and controlled movement in operations intending to lock-in the opponent in an uncomfortable situation leading towards either ending in stalemate or partial defeat of the enemy.

Business is no killing field, therefore manoeuvre here is a well thought of move that has elements such as surprise, speed, secrecy and smartness built in along with characteristic shrewdness. It can take the form stratagem or tactics.

Stratagem basically combines both strategy and tactics and often dubbed as hybrid. Nearly one –third of its adoption is in relation to strategy while the balance tow-third relates to tactics. Put it other way, the intention is strategic whereas its operation is tactical. In stratagem you use deception, so that you get competitive advantage in the present situation. Apple combined computer software with mobile telecommunication to bring out iPhone that served both needs of the customers.

Tactical manoeuvre, on the other hand, is to take action steps at specific time, place and situation that bring about a reversal of fortune for the opponent and enhance your position in the competitive matrix. Here more than deception it is techniques, methods, procedure carried out with finesse and flexibility brings out the intended outcome. Good example is the reduction of working hours adopted in motor companies during the post-war period in America that boosted productivity of labour resulting in immense profits.  

 

Cheers! 

 

Muthu Ashraff Rajulu

Business Strategist

Mobile: + 94 777 265677

E-mail:   cosmicgems@gmail.com

Blog:   Business Strategist