CHAPTER 6

WEAKNESSES AND STRENGTHS (虚

实 xū shí)
• The first mover advantage
• To dictate or not to be dictated
• Avoid being manipulated by the enemy
• Mastering relative superiority at the points-of-contacts
• The importance of knowing the
battle place and time
• Victories can be created
• Flexiility, adaptability and shaping
• Change and uncertainty
Chapters
1. Detailed Assessment and Planning (始计)
2. Waging War (作战)
3. Strategic Attack (谋攻)
4. Disposition of the Army (军行)
5. Forces (兵势)
6. Weaknesses and Strengths (虚实)
7. Military Maneuvers (军争)
8. Variations and Adaptability (九变)
9. Movement and Development of Troops (行军)
10. Terrain (地形)
11. The Nine Battlegrounds (九地)
12. Attacking with Fire (火攻)
13. Intelligence and Espionage (用间)
 First Mover Advantage
6.1 Those who arrive first at the battleground
will have sufficient time to rest and prepare
against the enemy.
6.2 Those who arrive late at the battleground
will have to rush into battle when they are
already exhausted.
Business Application
 Early Entrants: The Pioneers
Example:
▪ Online bookstore by Amazon.com
▪ Ipod & Ipad by Apple
▪ Online product purchase by Ebay
▪ Delivery service and drive-thru service by
McDonalds (in Malaysia)
▪ Low-cost carrier by Air Asia
▪ e-banking by Maybank
▪ Lelong.com / lowyat.com
 Early Entrant
• Uber was founded in March 2009 while Grab was
founded in June 2012.
• Grab start their operation since 2012 while Uber
entering the South-east Asia market one year later.
To Dictate And Not To Be Dictated
6.3 The person adept in warfare seeks to control and
manipulate his enemy instead of being controlled
and manipulated.
6.4 He can cause his enemy to arrive on his
own accord by luring him with advantages.
6.5 He can deter his enemy from coming by
creating (potential) danger and harm.
 To Dictate And Not To Be Dictated
To change the strength of the enemy into weaknesses
6.6 When the enemy is well rested, distress and tire him.
6.7 When he is well-stocked with food, starve him out.
6.8 When he is well-encamped and comfortable, provoke him to
move.
6.9 Attack places where the enemy must rush to rescue.
6.10 Move quickly along routes that the enemy least expects.
 Avoid Being Manipulated By
Enemy
• 6.11 An army can travel for a thousand miles without being
distressed and exhausted because it moves along places
where there is no enemy.
• 6.12 To be certain to capture what you attack is to attack a
place where the enemy does not defend or where his
defence is weak.
• 6.13 To be certain to hold on what you defend is to defend a
place where they enemy does not have the courage to attack
or where the defence is invulnerable to attacks.
• 6.14 Thus, the expert in offence attacks places where the
enemy does not know how to defend.
 Avoid Being Manipulated By
Enemy
• 6.15 The expert in defence protects places where the enemy
does not know how to attack.
• 6.19 He is able to advance without any resistance because he
accelerates along areas (and routes) that are not defended by
the enemy.
• 6.20 he is able to retreat without being pursued because he
withdraws at a much faster speed than that of the enemy.
 Empty City Scheme （空城计）
• 6.21 Thus, when I desire to go into battle, the enemy,
despite being behind high walls and deep moats, will have
no choice but to engage me.
• 6.22 This is because I choose to attack areas where he must
rescue and protect.
• 6.23 When I desire not to fight, even though I may be
occupying any ground and not erecting any defence (like
merely drawing a demarcated line on the ground to
defend it), the enemy will still be unable to wage battle
against me.
• 6.24 This is because I (use schemes and ploys that)
contradict the normal rules of engagement and prevent him
from reaching his desired destinations.
 Mastering Relative Superiority At The
Points-of-contacts
6.32 If he strengthens the front, he will weaken the
rear.
6.33 If he defends the rear, his front will be fragile.
6.34 If he prepares to his left, he will weaken his
right.
6.35 If he reinforces his right, he will weaken his
left.
6.36 If he tries to defend everywhere, he will be
VULNERABLE everywhere.
Business Application
 Gain Relative Superiority
Deploy resources to concentrate strengths against weakness

• “Killer Bs” – Barnes & Noble, Borders

– Large stores, extensive selections, discounted prices, ambience
– “One way to survive is simply to be bigger and offer a more diverse
stock than they do.”

• Amazon
– Early Internet retailer
– Achieve strong position as overall internet usage grew
– Kindle ebook reader
– Redefine book retailing
An inferior force can think strategically about winning if it can tactically
achieve relative superiority at each point of contact.
The Importance Of Knowing The Battle
Place And Time
6.29 The enemy must NOT know the places (battleground)
where I intend to attack.
6.30 If the enemy does not know where I intend to attack, he must
defend many places.
6.31 The more places the enemy defends, the more scattered are his
forces, and the weaker is his force at any one point where I am
attacking.
“

• Announce plans to extend its routes to new markets at

last moment.
• Competitors have little time to prepare.
 Plan Surprise
Blend subtlety and secrecy to keep the opponent confused

• New car model launching

 Victories Can Be Created
6.46 Therefore, scheme to discover the plans and strategies of the enemy so
as to know their likelihood of success (against us).
6.47 Provoke him so as to know his reasons and basis for movements and
actions.
6.48 Uncover his dispositions so as to know the vulnerability of the ground
(that he is occupying).
6.49 Throw some contests against the enemy so as to know the areas of his
strengths and weaknesses.
6.50 The ultimate skill in the deployment of troops is to ensure that it has no
fixed or constant formation and disposition.
6.51 Without ascertainable formation, even the most infiltrated and
observant spy will not be able to probe and comprehend, and the wisest
strategist will not be able to uncover your plans or plot against you.
 Flexibility, Adaptability And Shaping
Be Flexible As Water
• 6.53 Everyone may know the formation that I used to
secure victory.
• 6.54 However, no one will know the ways, methods, and
reasons behind how I went about creating that victory.
• 6.55 Therefore, the victory gained from each battle comes
about because strategies and tactics are never repeated.
• 6.56 Rather, they (the strategies and tactics) vary according
to the circumstances with countless possibilities.
• 6.57 The principle underlying military deployment may be
likened to water.
 Flexibility, Adaptability And Shaping
• 6.58 It is the inherent characteristic of flowing water to
escape from high ground and hasten its movement
downwards.
• 6.59 In the same way, the disposition and deployment of an
army should be to avoid strengths and attack weaknesses.
• 6.60 Just as water controls its flow according to the
characteristics of the terrain, an army should create its victory
according to the situations of the enemy.
• 6.61 So, in the conduct of war, there are no fixed situation
and condition, just like water has no constant shape and
configuration.
• 6.62 The person who gains victories by adapting to the
changing conditions and situations of the enemy can be
considered a LEGEND in warfare.
 Change And Uncertainty
• 6.63 Thus there is no guaranteed victory among the five
elements of nature.
• 6.64 There is no permanency for each of the four seasons.
• 6.65 There are days which are short and days which are long.
• 6.66 There are changes in the shape of the moon throughout
a month.
Business Application
 Change And Uncertainty
• A lesson to learn
• Steve Sasson, Kodak Engineer, 1975
• “But it was filmless photography…..”
 Meeting Consumer Demand
• The Grab success in South-East Asia region
– Meeting local demand
In war it is not the size that matters but on how planning,
strategising, deploying and directing combat to achieve
the optimal results.

THANK YOU