[...]... principles of competitive success THE SEVEN PRINCIPLES OF COMPETITIVE SUCCESS I wrote this book because I wanted to make it easy to grasp Musashi’s powerful message There are several excellent literal translations of The Book of Five Rings 8 THE BOOK OF FIVE RINGS FOR E XECUTIVES However, the difficulty with the literal translations lies in understanding the meaning and application of the ideas to...4 THE BOOK OF FIVE RINGS FOR E XECUTIVES others This is the real importance of learning the path of competition A basic tenet of the samurai warrior lies in the root meaning of the word “samurai.” It comes from a word meaning “to serve.” Samurai warriors, like Musashi, served their employers with passionate dedication Corporate executives and professionals who compete for their companies... companies with this level of dedication produce success for everyone The nature of business everywhere today is such that you must constantly be ready to compete for customers, markets, and resources The book you are reading, The Book of Five Rings for Executives, unlocks the mind and spirit of the master business competitor in simple, straightforward terms It discloses the heart and soul of success in business... competitive sword They are your framework for organizing the various themes which Musashi brings out in his text Keep the principles in mind as you read the text They are your ladder to understanding The true value of Musashi’s principles is found in using them to win in competition Business and military history are filled with examples of how successful THE IMPORTANCE OF THE BOOK OF FIVE RINGS 17 executives. .. position and movement prevents unpleasant surprises Information is the fabric of tactics You can never know too much about your enemy, yourself, or the situation THE IMPORTANCE OF THE BOOK OF FIVE RINGS 13 PRINCIPLE #4: ENVIRONMENT In a sword fight or other face-to-face combat, the environment would be the physical surroundings, the terrain, and the weather In business, environment includes, to mention... lacked most 20 THE BOOK OF FIVE RINGS FOR E XECUTIVES others, including important new technology that the US had developed during the war Japan could produce some goods; the problem, however, was selling them Given the negative opinions of the Japanese in the US, the largest and most profitable market in the world was not immediately available Time would blunt negative opinion, particularly if there was... billion in the red, the largest negative trade balance in history This is due primarily to the impact of apparent economic weakness in the Asian market THE IMPORTANCE OF THE BOOK OF FIVE RINGS 25 Up until very recently, the Japanese auto industry effectively out-manufactured every other country in the world, on a per capita basis, in both quality and profitability The discipline and structure of Musashi’s... toehold in the marketplace The first Japanese automobile brand introduced into the American market was Toyota The Japanese auto industry started with one car brand in 22 THE BOOK OF FIVE RINGS FOR E XECUTIVES order to minimize American reaction and maintain a low profile A low profile would reduce the chances of a preemptive retaliatory strike by competitors in the US The Toyota vehicle built for the American... position, and prestige for your company and for yourself Musashi’s book is about winning sword fights between samurai warriors There is nothing glamorous about sword fights, except in the movies They are very personal and very deadly But then, there is THE IMPORTANCE OF THE BOOK OF FIVE RINGS 5 nothing glamorous about most of the challenges we face in business either They, too, have a tendency to get very... constantly increasing the quality/price ratio by offering innovative features and options on their vehicles American cars either do not have these features and options, or they are available only on higher-priced models The relative price for a Japanese car, given certain reliability levels and 24 THE BOOK OF FIVE RINGS FOR E XECUTIVES features, is lower than American cars The Japanese make use of two obvious . not left to the winds of fate nor the whims of THE I MPORTANCE OF THE BOOK OF FIVE RINGS 3 others. This is the real importance of learning the path of competition. A basic tenet of the samurai. better chance of coming out on top. The subject of The Book of Five Rings is using power- ful competitive tactics to overcome challenges. It is THE I MPORTANCE OF THE BOOK OF FIVE RINGS 5 about. Musashi’s powerful message. There are several excellent literal translations of The Book of Five Rings. THE I MPORTANCE OF THE BOOK OF FIVE RINGS 7 However, the difficulty with the literal translations