Is war a good metaphor for business?

Funny, this topic was brought up by a female student in an MBA class I was taking. She said she was getting sick of all these macho war and sports analogies to modern business. Not all business is about beating the crap outta the other guy. What of alliances, standards bodies, and (as you mentioned) negotiation? Even Henry V married France in the end.
Not to say business isn’t feral – it is – but maybe we need less cliches.

Funny, this topic was brought up by a female student in an MBA class I was taking. She said she was getting sick of all these macho war and sports analogies to modern business. Not all business is about beating the crap outta the other guy. What of alliances, standards bodies, and (as you mentioned) negotiation? Even Henry V married France in the end.

Not to say business isn’t feral – it is – but maybe we need less cliches.

What goes on in an MBA class has little to do with the realities of entrepreneurship. The equivelent of alliances, standards bodies, and negotiation are all present in war. Furthermore, war is not about beating the crap out of anyone. It’s about accomplishing a strategic objective, and sometimes beating the crap out of the other guy is a part of it. It is not perfect. Yet, I’ve yet to find a metaphor for business nearly as complete.
As for cliches, metaphor is one of the best learning tools available to us. And translating from one context to another is a master skill of entrepreneurship. I’m open to more or better, though.
Thanks for the comment.
Michael

What goes on in an MBA class has little to do with the realities of entrepreneurship. The equivelent of alliances, standards bodies, and negotiation are all present in war. Furthermore, war is not about beating the crap out of anyone. It’s about accomplishing a strategic objective, and sometimes beating the crap out of the other guy is a part of it. It is not perfect. Yet, I’ve yet to find a metaphor for business nearly as complete.

As for cliches, metaphor is one of the best learning tools available to us. And translating from one context to another is a master skill of entrepreneurship. I’m open to more or better, though.

Thanks for the comment.

Michael

Totally agree, business is a contest.  You always have to think about the competitor. 
Read Sun Tzu and you find so much of what he says of value.  To us it is like a huge
competition on the field.  Good thing to know your play and how to run it!

Totally agree, business is a contest.  You always have to think about the competitor. 
Read Sun Tzu and you find so much of what he says of value.  To us it is like a huge
competition on the field.  Good thing to know your play and how to run it!

Anyone who thinks that war aptly correlates to businss has not participated in a war.  By comparison, business is just a game. 
Michael D. Woods, CPA
Major, USMC retired

Anyone who thinks that war aptly correlates to businss has not participated in a war.  By comparison, business is just a game. 
Michael D. Woods, CPA
Major, USMC retired

The wars in business may be bloodless but it’s no less fierce than what is being fought on today’s battlefield.  Our troops our fighting an Asymmetric War – Asymmetric warfare includes “threats outside the range of conventional warfare and difficult to respond to in kind (e.g., a suicide bomber)”.  The business world is just as unpredictable and difficult because of globalization, advancing technology, easier access to credit etc… New competitors enter the market every day fighting for your customer.  It does not matter whether you are trying to expand your company or protect your customer base, like our military counter parts, we must realize “we in business are at war” and better have a strategy!
Randy Zales (former Captain, USA)
President
Anthony Robbins & Associates
http://www.AnthonyRobbinsDC.com——-

The wars in business may be bloodless but it’s no less fierce than what is being fought on today’s battlefield.  Our troops our fighting an Asymmetric War – Asymmetric warfare includes “threats outside the range of conventional warfare and difficult to respond to in kind (e.g., a suicide bomber)”.  The business world is just as unpredictable and difficult because of globalization, advancing technology, easier access to credit etc… New competitors enter the market every day fighting for your customer.  It does not matter whether you are trying to expand your company or protect your customer base, like our military counter parts, we must realize “we in business are at war” and better have a strategy!

Randy Zales (former Captain, USA)
President
Anthony Robbins & Associates
http://www.AnthonyRobbinsDC.com
——-

I think so. Companies keep looking for better strategy and people to run their businesses. Those who just keep quiet and be satisfied with the current condition will sooner or faster become invisible. american classifieds

Fight between companies is good unless it destroys the fame of the company. The moves must be strategical .