Sunzi · The Art of War

Terrain: circumstances and responsibility

Classifies terrain and military failures, assigning leaders responsibility for understanding circumstances, their people and the opposing side.

Edited by: sakimyto · Published: · Updated:

Business application ↓Use with AI ↓

Source and summary

Excerpt from the original text

孫子曰:凡地形有通者、有掛者、有支者、有隘者、有險者、有遠者。我可以往,彼可以來,曰通。通形者,先居高陽,利糧道,以戰則利。可以往,難以返,曰掛。掛形者,敵無備,出而勝之;敵若有備…
Sunzi · The Art of War · Terrain: circumstances and responsibility ↗

The summary is editorial. Follow the source link to read the original text.

Modern interpretation

The example below adapts this chapter’s questions to modern work. Evaluate it against the actual purpose and conditions; ancient politics, warfare or ethics do not establish business results.

Business application

Before blaming an owner for a failed project, review acceptance conditions, authority, training and dependencies; define management improvements too.

  1. Choose one relevant case and record its objective, available resources, verified facts and unknowns.
  2. Compare options using this chapter’s perspective; choose a limited trial, owner, deadline and a measure to assess the result.
Deliverable
A comparison using terrain: circumstances and responsibility, with conditions for acting or declining.

Limits

The summary selects main points rather than translating every sentence. The example is not a demonstrated business method; check it against stakeholders’ conditions and actual evidence.

Question to test

How does this chapter’s perspective change the selected option or priority, and what further evidence could change the decision?

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