Hide a Dagger Behind a Smile: Use the 36 Ancient Chinese Strategies to Seize the Competitive Edge

As a business strategist I recognize that The 36 Chinese Strategies are a set of patterns that when used in conjunction give you endless options in any competitive situation. I advise you to read this book and keep it by your side as a reference, it will give you the feeling that you have an endless array of stratagems at your disposal.

An excellent and profound work! The author takes the interpretation of ancient Chinese wisdom on strategy to an unprecedented, in my opinion, level and makes it immediately relevant to western management. The abundance of cases studies with real companies sets the book apart from other works in this area. The author masterfully applies the abstract language of the 36 Stratagems in the context of modern business strategy and illustrates it with what it seems like hundreds of specific examples. As a business professional myself I can attest that this certainly adds tremendous credibility and real value. I think this book is a treasure for both the academic scholars and business executives, as it offers a body of sound research, as well as a specific guidance to action. I highly recommend this book!

An excellent analysis of the 36 stratagems, particularly as they apply to business, that is highly readable. If you are a fan of Sun Tzu's "The Art of War", you will find this book invaluable. The author translates contemporary business strategies into the appropriate stratagems. He outlines approaches based on the 36 stratagems in a very accessible fashion. A must read for anyone who owns a company, or is responsible for growth.

At first the title made me think this was another Sun Tzu kill-your-competition but, but it actually is a more profound and sophisticated explanation of ancient Taoist concepts and how they apply to business and creativity in the modern world of business. The book is a good read straight through, or if you prefer, read it more slowly and really contemplate the application of the stratagems as part of your daily life. I found the material to be profound enough to really make in impact in the way that I see the playing field in my business. This is a must read for people with a keen interest in developing their strategic thinking capacity. I'm ready for the next book by the author!!