How to conduct manoeuvre in business warfare?

As business competition today almost borders on business warfare, small and medium sized companies resort to adopt manoeuvre to take on the opponents in market place. This manoeuvre warfare is carried out in the following lines: 

1. Make offensive against the reputation, business process and the people behind the success of enemy indirectly

2. Orient towards the supply chain and delivery channels of the enemy in the market place and game the enemy mainly for operational win in salami way that add-up to greater damage as time moves on, bringing out demoralization at the  enemy quarters

3. Deploy business team selected for their ability of using un-conventional warfare against the enemy marketing leaders moving depth wise so that high doses of negative propaganda is directed over them. There are two vantages: concentrate limited resources used very effectively against opponent and leaving most of the reserves behind to cover for any counter attack by the opponent.

4. Fight in non-conventional manner using fake news and make news that target the people and products of the enemy that are dogs at present and also turn against any stars the rival has so as to deprive him the chance of  transforming these eventually as cash-cow. Here the battle zone is fluid but perfectly legitimate for war fighting, consequently the opponent is curtailed in raising this matter in court of law for seeking legal redress. 

 

Cheers! 

 

Muthu Ashraff Rajulu

Business Strategist

Mobile: + 94 777 265677

E-mail:   cosmicgems@gmail.com

Blog:   Business Strategist

 

 

Manoeuvre warfare in business competition

Manoeuvre warfare is the staple of great military leaders like Alexander, Hannibal, Napoleon and Rommel. Today Spetsnaz Russian Special Forces has perfected this art to great operational excellence. Business firms are also resorting to manoeuvre warfare while facing business competition.

The concept behind manoeuvre warfare is to defeat an opponent by destroying his morale and the willingness to fight rather than bringing devastation over him. It is operationalised by using a series of military manoeuvres that finally add up to greater quantum thus leading to victory. 

It does not mean firepower is not used at all. In fact it is the judicious use of fire power that breaks opposition at a particular weak point creating an opening through which, flank or by pass manoeuvres are made feasible to take out command and control. This manoeuvre is said to inflict huge psychological damage to the opponent.

There are eight aspects of manoeuvre warfare as outlined by Major K P Anastas Armor in his monograph: 

1. Attack at moral and psychological level in the narrow strike zone of their formations where a weak link is observed.

2. Focused at operational level so that linkage is made to overall strategy

3. Oriented towards selected specific points for taking on the opponent’s forces

4. Deployment of own forces in depth wise manner such that heavy concentration of men & materials are used to crack open the target

5. Reserves at the rear is large to meet up with any eventuality following such foray

6. Adopt indirect approach bordering on secrecy, speed and surprise

7. There is no set battle field yet warfighting is carried out in fluid manner such that it can take place in virtual or actual space

8. Fire power assists, yet it is the manoeuvre that matters, finally. 

Firms in information and telecom technology are in better position to use business manoeuvre based on manoeuvre warfare. All the biggies including google and medium ones including Nokia are adept in using manoeuvre warfare to beat their competitors! 

 

Cheers!

 

Muthu Ashraff Rajulu

Business Strategist

Mobile: + 94 777 265677

E-mail:   cosmicgems@gmail.com

Blog:   Business Strategist

 

 

 

 

Business manoeuvre for soft power projection

Before embarking on military engagement it is wise indeed to try out soft power to avoid loss of limb and life and devastation such a campaign entails for parties in the conflict. This theorem can be extended to business competition as well. But the critical element here is the nature and effectiveness of business manoeuvre for projecting soft power. 

A plus point for using soft power projection is the avoidance of collateral damage to both sides in a campaign. But the most important plus is that soft power can be demoed by a business that is not necessarily strong but has certain advantages over its competitors. Business manoeuvre in the soft power side covers political to social spectrum. The following are examples of business manoeuvre adopted for making soft power felt across the board:

1. Business policy: Use of social engineering and political gamesmanship to achieve business goals

2. Networking: Building contacts and alliances in civil society members such as government think tanks, non-governmental organizations, consumer societies and vested interests to achieve one-upmanship

3. Image building:  Progressively building the image of “holier than thou” and “in moral high plain” to achieve business goals

4. Media coverage: Getting the media to defend your business is the first item followed by hogging limelight and using trial by media against your lead opponent to lever at the weak point to gain tactical as well as strategic advantages.

 

Cheers! 

 

Muthu Ashraff Rajulu

Business Strategist

Mobile: + 94 777 265677

E-mail:   cosmicgems@gmail.com

Blog:   Business Strategist