In the previous article, we talked about the "Tao", and today we are going to ** the second element of the "Five Things" in the "Art of War" - "Heaven". In The Art of War, "heaven" is described as "yin and yang, cold and heat, and time system", which actually refers to the "time of heaven" in nature, that is, day and night, cloudy and sunny, cold and heat, and the change of seasons. Sun Tzu's "heaven" does not refer to a personified "heaven", but a purely natural phenomenon.
Mr. Sun Wu emphasized the importance of adapting to the "time of day", and believed that being good at taking advantage of the change of time can gain an advantage in war. In the field of modern marketing, "Tianshi" represents changes in market trends, consumer needs and competitive situations. Marketers need to keep an eye on the market dynamics and flexibly adjust their strategies to adapt to the changes of the "time of day". By combining the wisdom of the Art of War with modern marketing theories, enterprises can more accurately grasp the pulse of the market and achieve marketing goals.
Here are some of the methods and well-known theories or models that adapt to the "time of day":
PEST analysis: PEST analysis is a commonly used macro environment analysis tool, which includes political, economic, social, and technical analysis. Through the analysis of these four aspects, enterprises can understand the macro environment of the market, so as to grasp market opportunities and avoid risks.
4P Marketing Theory: 4P Marketing Theory is a classic marketing theory, which includes four strategies: product, price, place and promotion. By flexibly adapting strategies in these four areas, companies can adapt to market changes and meet consumer needs.
When exploring the competitive ways of the business world, we have to mention a brilliant thinker – Michael Porter.
Michael Porter is a professor and renowned scholar at Harvard Business School, known as the father of modern competitive strategy. In the trilogy of "Competitive Strategy", "Competitive Advantage" and "National Competitive Advantage", he systematically put forward his own theory of competitive strategy, which provides an important theoretical framework for understanding the competitive behavior of enterprises, industries and countries.
The core ideas of Porter's theory of competitive strategy include the following:
Five Forces Model: Porter argues that the competitive state of an industry depends on five basic competitive forces, namely the threat of new entrants, the threat of substitutes, the bargaining power of buyers, the bargaining power of suppliers, and competition among existing competitors. These five forces work together to determine the profitability and competitive intensity of the industry.
Three basic competitive strategies: Porter proposed three basic competitive strategies, namely cost leadership strategy, differentiation strategy and focus strategy. He believes that in order for a company to win in the competition, it must choose and implement one or more of these strategies.
Cost leadership strategyEnterprises reduce costs through effective ways, so that the total cost of the enterprise is lower than the cost of competitors, or even the lowest cost in the same industry, so as to gain a competitive advantage.
Differentiation strategyEnterprises provide unique products or services to meet the special needs of customers and form a competitive advantage.
Focus on strategyA company focuses on a specific target market or customer group to gain a competitive advantage by offering a specific product or service.
Value chainAccording to Porter, the value chain of a firm is made up of a series of interrelated value activities, including basic and auxiliary activities. The basic activities involve the material creation of the product and its sale, transfer to the buyer and after-sales service;Ancillary activities support basic activities through the provision of procurement, technology development, human resources management and enterprise infrastructure. By analyzing the value chain, companies can identify their competitive advantages and weaknesses and find ways to improve their competitiveness.
Overall, Michael Porter's theory of competitive strategy provides an important tool for analyzing and developing competitive strategies. By applying these theories, companies can better understand the competitive environment and discover their strengths and weaknesses, so as to develop effective competitive strategies and enhance competitiveness.
In this era of rapid change, the competition in the marketing field is becoming more intense, and businesses are facing unprecedented challenges. However, as emphasized in The Art of War, the "time of day" is one of the important factors that determine victory or defeat. Through the in-depth understanding and application of the idea of "time of day", combined with modern marketing theories, including the research results of masters such as Philip Kotler and Michael Porter, enterprises can gain more accurate insight into market trends, grasp customer needs, and respond to competitive pressures.