A CKGSB Knowledge Series event:

Sun Tzu and the Art of Business

with Becky Sheetz-Runkle and Mark McNeilly

Wednesday, April 22, 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

CKGSB, 601 Lexington Avenue, Floor 26, New York, NY (Citigroup Center)

In ancient China there was a period known as the Age of the Warring States, with great conflict and uncertainty as seven states fought for survival and to reign supreme. It was during this time that there arose an insightful general, known to us as Sun Tzu. His ability to win victories for his warlord gained him tremendous fame and power.

To hand down the wisdom he had gained from his years of battles, Sun Tzu wrote a book, The Art of War, that became China’s classic work on strategy. His book, which details a complete philosophy on how to decisively defeat one’s opponent, has given guidance to military theorists and generals throughout the ages.

Sun Tzu’s The Art of War has proven to be the most important ancient Chinese military treatise, which is not only a classic work on war strategy, but also significant for how its rules can apply to the business world. Since businesses must deal with competition, Sun Tzu’s principles are ideally suited to competitive business situations. Like warfare, business can be a contest of wills, dynamic and fast-paced, based on both morale and machines, with the need to manage the effective and efficient use of scarce resources. For this reason, many business people across the globe have found value in Sun Tzu’s teachings.

However, translating military concepts to business strategies can be difficult. How to effectively apply Sun Tzu’s strategies, whether for small entrepreneurial businesses or for large well-established enterprises in a competitive market, can be perplexing. To get to the essence of Sun Tzu’s strategies, and to crystalize its key concepts and ideas, Six Principles which can be easily understood and applied in the business world, will be explained from a unique perspective during CKGSB’s Knowledge Series event on April 22. Deep insights, practical advice and examples will also be provided to help companies obtain a competitive advantage through the use of quotations from The Art of War, along with interesting military illustrations and insightful business examples.

SPACE IS LIMITED, TO RESERVE YOUR SEAT PLEASE RSVP

BIOGRAPHIES:

Becky Sheetz-Runkle
 

Becky is a business author, speaker, martial arts master and strategic marketer. Her newest book, The Art of War for Small Business: Defeat the Competition and Dominate the Market with the Masterful Strategies of Sun Tzu was released in the summer of 2014. The premise is: if Sun Tzu went into business as a CEO, or joined the executive team of a small business, how would he adapt his principles from The Art of War to wage war and peace and build a business empire? Her book, Sun Tzu for Women: The Art of War for Winning in Business, has been called a “must read” by Today’s Chicago Woman, recommended by Baseline magazine to their C-level readers, mentioned in The Economist, and a featured many places around the globe.

Becky has 20 years of experience in communications and marketing strategy. She’s a former Washington Business Journal columnist and was named to the 2011 Washington Business Journal 40 Under 40. Becky is a Grand Master in Sho Bushido Ryu Jujitsu and runs the Woodbridge, VA Dojo. Her experiences versus much larger and stronger opponents have revealed much about innovation and perseverance, and how to win with superior strategy.

Mark McNeilly
 

Mark is the author of two books based on Sun Tzu’s Art of War, served as a guest speaker on the History Channel Special on the Art of War and has presented his views on Sun Tzu’s strategic principles to corporations, business people and military personnel worldwide. Sun Tzu and the Art of Business: Six Strategic Principles for Managers helps business people apply Sun Tzu’s strategic approach to business problems. With this book now recently updated and translated into five different languages, Mark is one of the world’s most widely read authors on the application of Sun Tzu’s principles in business.

Mark is also a former marketing executive whose thirty-year career at IBM and Lenovo includes experience in strategy, marketing and management. He currently serves as a Lecturer at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, where he teaches in the areas of marketing and leadership.

IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS OR WOULD LIKE MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:
Julie Zhu
Program Manager
Cheung Kong Graduate School of Business
C | K | G | S | B
Tel: 646-627-7729
Email: juliezhu-pt@ckgsb.edu.cn