Tuesday 3 December 2013

b.孫子兵法 (作戰篇第二) (Chapter 2 - 5) (Part 15)

The last part is here:   孫子兵法 (作戰篇第二) (Chapter 2 - 4) (Part 14)

作戰篇第二

孫子曰:凡用兵之法,馳車千駟,革車千乘,帶甲十萬,千里饋糧,則內外之費,賓客之用,膠漆之材,車甲之奉,日費千金,然後十萬之師舉矣。
          其用戰也貴勝,久則鈍兵挫銳,攻城則力屈,久暴師則國 用不足。夫鈍兵挫銳,屈力殫貨,則諸侯乘其弊而起,雖有智者,不能善其後矣。故兵聞拙速,未睹巧之久也。夫兵久而國利者,未之有也。故不盡知用兵之害者,則不能盡知用兵之利也。
          善用兵者,役不再籍,糧不三載﹔取用于國,因糧于敵,故軍食可足也。
          國之貧于師者遠輸,遠輸則百姓貧。近師者貴賣,貴賣則百姓竭,財 竭則急於丘役。力屈、財殫,中原內虛于家。百姓之費,十去其七﹔公家之費:破軍罷馬,甲冑矢弩,戟盾蔽櫓,丘牛大車,十去其六。
          故智將務食于敵。食敵一鐘,當吾二十鐘﹔箕杆一石,當吾二十石。
          故殺敵者,怒也﹔取敵之利者,貨也。故車戰,得車十乘已上,賞其 先得者,而更其旌旗,車雜而乘之,卒善而養之,是謂勝敵而益強。故兵貴勝,不貴久。 故知兵之將,民之司命,國家安危之主也。

Let's continue ...

           故智將務食于敵。食敵一鐘,當吾二十鐘﹔箕杆一石,當吾二十石。

Some translation suggested: 
Hence a wise general makes a point of foraging on the enemy. One cartload of the enemy's provisions is equivalent to twenty of one's own, and likewise a single picul of his provender is equivalent to twenty from one's own store. 
Moran:   Therefore wise generals will put burdens for foodstuffs on the enemy. Eating one unit of the enemy's food will save the expense of twenty units of one's own food. Feeding one unit of hay or fodder of the enemy's will save the expenditure of twenty units of one's own forage.

Let's discuss:

故智將務食于敵。:   Therefore wise generals will put burdens for foodstuffs on the enemy.
食敵一鐘,當吾二十鐘﹔:   Eating one unit of the enemy's food will save the expense of twenty units of one's own food.
箕杆一石,當吾二十石。:   Feeding one unit of hay or fodder of the enemy's will save the expenditure of twenty units of one's own forage.

This is really good. If you eat off your enemy, you are definitely god-status.

To be able to execute this in business world is pure gold. How to execute one case is not so easy. I am learned.

But, there are some truth in this statement. A while ago, I started attacking a major business of 30 product line. I chose the best and the most sale-able. I concentrated on its quality and nothing else. Slowly the customers moved over to my single product. Suddenly, the business of 30-product started to stop production of the product in contention and a few others (among the 30-products, there are indeed very weak ones, those that needs the strong lead-horse to support; once support's gone, they have to go as well.). Now I have at least a 50-product range. He has dwindled to less than 10. Naturally the leadership role reversed. A 20-fold decrease due to a single attack.

But, I am not sure if this is the correct case study. I am still learning. But, I do feel this is a very good point:   故智將務食于敵。 But do be careful about the possible strong counter-attacks or rebuttals. Stay on the best quality.

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