Business schools and military schools borrow extensively from each other’s academic literature. Although the workings of the boardroom and the battlefield might seem mismatched, there is considerable overlap. Both require leaders capable of assessing assets and liabilities dispassionately, developing short-term strategies that complement long-term objectives, and comprehending an adversary’s point of view. Both demand critical thinking.
Organizational theory, as a scholarly discipline, reflects the shared language of businesspeople and military planners. Business executives “go to war” against rivals and cordon off associates in “war rooms” when their firms’ interests are “under attack.” Military commanders seek to maximize “opportunity” and “leverage” while minimizing “loss.” Allocating resources efficiently and avoiding waste are crucial for both vocations. Just as an accountant is essential for a healthy business, a quartermaster is essential for a healthy army. In business and war, technical knowhow, tactical skill, and logistical expertise separate winners from losers, victors from the vanquished.
What is striking…
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