09.034 If he gives out rewards frequently...

[sonshi]

If he gives out rewards frequently, he is running out of resources.

Originally posted by sonshi
If he gives out rewards frequently, he is running out of resources.

Point # 10 in determining the vulnerability of the opposition.

At this point, the leader of the opposition has lost all control of the organization.

[gonzo]

This could mean one of two things:
Either your opponent has the need to hand out incentives to his subordinates for his continued support, thus depleting his resources,
OR . . .
Your opponent lacks enough resources to go around and thus only gives out the proper quantities to the most exlemplary individuals.

Gonzo

Sun Tzu said, "If he gives out rewards frequently, he is running out of resources."

The general knows that when the opposition is desperate it will give anything away to try and change its destiny.

[markb287]

He is hoping to quickly get the troops to defeat the enemy and steal some of the enemy's resources.

[pawn12]

I think that this is a very real sign that the leadership has lost most of it's leverage and now has to face the music. That means that in this instance it will pay full market value or inflated prices.

I would see this a paricularily dark sign for an opponent and things at this point would be getting bad.

Pawn12

[Truthseeker]

Originally posted by sonshi
If he gives out rewards frequently, he is running out of resources.

I look at this passage from the perspective of bribing your own men to carry out the company strategy. When this occurs the men do not really have faith in the mission. They are most likely looking to join what they think is a winning team. Therefore in an effort to keep them they are lured with carnal goods.

[MonteChristo]

Rewards are important part of motivation scheme. But you should not overdo this. Reward recognition should be aligned with financial capabilities of an army or business.

[Myll]

"If he gives out rewards frequently, he is running out of resources."

If low on ressources, such as food, mens morale and faith in the general drops. To try to buy the troops morale could prolong the loyalty for a while despite.

[Saro]

Much as in the verse in which a leader who feeds grain to his horses and meat to his troops, this is a sign letting the current condition endure holds nothing but disadvantage for the opponent. (Such as when he's running out of resources and is in danger of being starved into submission.) Expending his remaining resources in preparation for a final push in an attempt to alter the situation becomes his best approach in situations like that.

[ShrNfr]

Turning to the present place and time. I think this line from Sun Tzu is most apt in our political process. We have seen our president give out many "rewards" to various special interest groups in hopes of winning their support. In doing so, he is basically admitting that he is out of resources in terms of his overall programs. I will not argue the point of the basic nature of his programs being either right or wrong, that is for another place and another day. But as Bernanke basically stated today after the Fed meeting; there will be continued higher unemployment and slower growth in 2012 and 2013 for whatever reasons you care to ascribe. Thus the resource of generalized good will from the populace is running much lower for Mr. Obama at this point in time as compared with 2008. Hence his attempt at rewards. He is running out of resources.

This sort of stuff is game theoretic per de Mesquita's tome "The Dictator's Handbook". I am not implying that Mr. Obama is a dictator. Again someplace else and some other time we may discuss this pro and con. It is simply the title the author gave to the book. De Mesquita has made a business out of using game theory to predict political outcomes. Sun Tzu would have approved. A lot of "The Art of War" is a practical application of what has been codified in game theory. The parts where he states that you should give your adversary a way to quit the field of battle without loss while you gain the ground is an example of that. You allow your adversary to maximize his utility function of staying alive, while you maximize your utility function of taking the field of battle with few if any casualties.

[Ferroto]

Originally Posted by ShrNfr

Turning to the present place and time. I think this line from Sun Tzu is most apt in our political process. We have seen our president give out many "rewards" to various special interest groups in hopes of winning their support. In doing so, he is basically admitting that he is out of resources in terms of his overall programs. I will not argue the point of the basic nature of his programs being either right or wrong, that is for another place and another day. But as Bernanke basically stated today after the Fed meeting; there will be continued higher unemployment and slower growth in 2012 and 2013 for whatever reasons you care to ascribe. Thus the resource of generalized good will from the populace is running much lower for Mr. Obama at this point in time as compared with 2008. Hence his attempt at rewards. He is running out of resources.

This sort of stuff is game theoretic per de Mesquita's tome "The Dictator's Handbook". I am not implying that Mr. Obama is a dictator. Again someplace else and some other time we may discuss this pro and con. It is simply the title the author gave to the book. De Mesquita has made a business out of using game theory to predict political outcomes. Sun Tzu would have approved. A lot of "The Art of War" is a practical application of what has been codified in game theory. The parts where he states that you should give your adversary a way to quit the field of battle without loss while you gain the ground is an example of that. You allow your adversary to maximize his utility function of staying alive, while you maximize your utility function of taking the field of battle with few if any casualties.

That's one thing I could never understand about Obama. He's made innumerable concessions to the republicans and gotten nothing in return for it yet he keeps making them. He renewed the bush tax cuts which were due to expire and watered down health care and then the republicans and fox news attack him anyways.

What he should have done is said to the republicans "look I'm gonna veto the bush tax cuts resulting in them expiring. If you want them to stay you will have to reduce the cuts by 20% and pass the health care bill verbatim." That is how you get shit done in Washington you take something the enemy holds dear and he will do your bidding I think Sun-Tzu would agree.

The only thing I cannot decide about Obama is weather he makes these concessions because he is a conservative or because he is weak.

[Yin]

Originally Posted by sonshi

If he gives out rewards frequently, he is running out of resources.

if the enemy is giving out rewards frequently that doesn't mean he is running out of resources (it means there's probably more where it came from)

It's a means to an end

Find out his objective

Then truly deplete his resources