Sunday, April 30, 2017

The Basics of an Unorthodox Strategy (1)


Drumming an advance and setting up a great tumult are the means by which to implement and unorthodox plans.
                                                                                Six Secret Teachings, 27

Those who excel at repulsing the enemy first join battle with orthodox troops, then use the unorthodox ones to control them, This is the technique for certain victory.
                                                                                Wei Liao-tzu, 23

Objective: Influence the Target
To be  the first to gain victory, initially display some weakness to the competitor and only afterward pursue confrontation.  Then your effort will be half, but the achievement will be doubled.
                                                                                Six Secret Teachings, 26

Saturday, April 29, 2017

What is Strategic Power? (2)

The victorious army is like a ton compared with an ounce, while the defeated army is an ounce weight against a ton!  The combat of the victorious is like the sudden release of an pent-up torrent down a thousand-fathom gorge.  This is the strategic disposition of force.



Now the army's disposition of force is like water. Water's configuration avoids heights and races downward. The army's disposition of force avoids the substantial and strikes the vacuous. Water configures its flow in accord with the terrain;  the army controls it victory  in accord with the enemy.

Does Automation Means Zero Jobs and Free Money?


As mentioned in previous posts (2010 and after), we projected that the robots were going to take jobs from our fellow humanoids.


The Questions of the Day
Have any of you heard that this  French politician's proposal- that every adult get £660 a month for free... because ROBOTS are taking over three million jobs?

Interestingly, Elon Musk of Tesla's also concluded the same point in Nov 2016.



Q: Will the cyber money then be produced by robots?

Projection and Prognostication 
Our projection is that there will always be jobs for those who are strategically creative and are willing to take the chance to prevail over the complexity of life.  Whether the actual endpoint of the endeavor beats the odds is a different story.

The first step is having the willingness to not to take things for granted.

The next step is recognizing the matrix of the connectivity that exists behind the order of the grand situation.


The third step is verifying the truth behind the recognition. 

The fourth step is asking whether one has the leadership qualities, the resources and the logistics to meet or exceed  the standards behind the matrix of the connectivity.

The fifth step is to deciding whether one is willing to pursue the challenge. 

Tuesday, April 18, 2017

Gone Fishing While Thinking A Few Moves Ahead


In an uncertain economy, the perceptive and experienced fisherman (strategist) always knows the risk factors for that body of water that he is preparing to fish at.

While there is near zero risk in a pond, the risk amplifies as the body of water increases.  Where in the ocean, the variability of risk can change at a whim.  

The weather occasionally plays a significant role in altering the movement of the ocean.

Beside the obvious preys that live in this body of water, there are predators too.


The Compass Principle of Recognizing the Terrain
The size of the terrain is usually proportional to the quantity of risk-rewards and risk-drawbacks.

The Dao of Strategic Positioning
To position ahead of the competition (or the situational curve), the perceptive strategist usually anticipate the risk factors for that situation by recognizing the risk benefits, the risk challenges and the risk drawbacks for each of the projected approaches is the initial step.

Completing the risk challenges properly and promptly, does not always mean that one would be many moves ahead of the curve. One has to comprehend the strategic configuration of the situation in terms of the matrix of connectivity and the seasonal cycle, before ever knowing how many moves ahead that he or she will be positioned at.

Whenever our latest project is completed, we will only then discuss more on this unique strategic topic.  

Sunday, April 9, 2017

Observing the Big Tangible Picture (BTP) From the Top View (A Perspective From Hui Shi) 2 of 2

(updated at 07.28.17, 1:11 am)

Following is a brief analysis of Hui Shi's guidelines for viewing the configuration of the Big Tangible Picture (aka. The 10 Theories. or the 10 Paradoxes):

"The largest thing has nothing beyond it; it is called the "One of Largeness." The smallest thing has nothing within it; it is called the "One of Smallness."
The largest object is always attached to the Big Tangible Picture because of its influential effect while the smallest object possessed no centrality. Its internal state is increased when it is attached to a similar object.

"That which has no thickness cannot be piled up; yet it is a thousand li in dimension." 
A well-configured object has no capability but has the prowess to expand because of its unique framework.

/// Note: Beside measuring the size of an object. the perceptive strategist immediately examines its connectivity and its centrality (in reference to time and space).  

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"Heaven is as low as earth; mountains and marshes are on the same level." 
Whenever the cycle of the external factors is completely affecting the entirety of a strategic situation (the Big Tangible Picture), the time factor become relevant.  Simultaneously,  the strategic effect of each categorical terrain's obstacles could become quite pertinent..

"The sun at noon is the sun setting. The thing born is the thing dying."
There is a seasonal cycle, a rhythm and a flow in everything while there is a cause and an effect in the macro realm.  (Identify the strategic inflection point where a dichotomy occurs.) 

"Great similarities are different from little similarities; these are called the little similarities and differences. The ten thousand things are all similar and are all different; these are called the great similarities and differences."
Based on the configuration of the current situation, the perceptive strategist identifies the similar conditions and the different conditions of the different objects. Both the similarities and the dissimilarities  define the tangible configuration of the situation.

"The southern region has no limit and yet has a limit."  
Regardless of the projected capability of an relevant object,  this object has a finite coverage.

"I set off for Yueh today and came there yesterday."  
The grand time standard of a terrain-based situation occasionally changes the circumstances behind the the perceptive strategist's objective


Humorous translation: By recognizing that the true north of one's strategic situation and arriving at its "destination” (with minimal to zero damage), one could only then repeat that same ambition. 

"Linked rings can be separated." 
Through the identification of the connective sequence of the components that existed within the macro sequence of a system, the perceptive strategist immediately generates a new strategic  perspective.


"I know the center of the world: it is north of Yen and south of Yueh." 
Through the identification of the central point of an object or a situation, the perceptive strategist immediately pinpoints its prowess.

 "Let love embrace the ten thousand things; Heaven and earth are a single body." 
By pinpointing the singular conditional factor that synchronizes all of the objects (the focal catalyst/ the most common denominators), one identifies the possible matrix of connectivity for that strategic situation.
 

Comments From The Compass Desk
To improve or to enhance the actual output of an object (i.e., an event, an entity, a product, a service, etc.), one must first recognize the internal connectivity that operates within the targeted system

Pinpointing its system cycle, its contradictions, its unity points and the midpoint is the next macro step for establishing the possibility of creating a strategic difference.


Saturday, April 8, 2017

Observing the Big Tangible Picture (BTP) From the Top View (A Perspective From Hui Shi) 1 of 2



Hui Shi was a consulting advisor to the kings and the minsters of ancient China, developed a set of strategic guidelines (aka. 10 Paradoxes) that was based on his observations.  ..

Following is an abridged listing of those observations:

"The largest thing has nothing beyond it; it is called the "One of Largeness." The smallest thing has nothing within it; it is called the "One of Smallness."

"That which has no thickness cannot be piled up; yet it is a thousand li in dimension."

"Heaven is as low as earth; mountains and marshes are on the same level."

"The sun at noon is the sun setting. The thing born is the thing dying."

"Great similarities are different from little similarities; these are called the little similarities and differences. The ten thousand things are all similar and are all different; these are called the great similarities and differences."

"The southern region has no limit and yet has a limit."

"I set off for Yueh today and came there yesterday."

"Linked rings can be separated."

"I know the center of the world: it is north of Yen and south of Yueh."

"Let love embrace the ten thousand things; Heaven and earth are a single body."


Comments From the Compass Desk
Pinpointing the contradictions and the unity points enables one to have the capability to create tactical mismatches.

More to come