Monday, July 1, 2019

MBA Notes from an Assassin (Part two of two)

    The Assassin's name was Bu Tahir Arrani and, unknown to anyone in the crowd on that October day in 1092, he was a Nizari Ismaili - an adherent to the sect of Hassan-i-Sabbah.  Sabbah had selected Arrani as the first of many highly trained assassins to disguise himself and travel alone from their stronghold deep in the Alborz Mountinas, north of Qazwin, on a secret mission of political intrigue.  This single man, working alone in the enemy's backyard, using only his wits and single-minded drive brought about a decade of relief for his persecuted sect by plunging Sabbah's rivals into leaderless confusion.  On the day that Arrani completed his mission, Alamut - his castle and home- was under siege by the Saljuq Turks.  Nizam himself had authorised the destruction of the Ishmaili headquarters because of their status as heretics (within the Saljuq Empire).  The year prior, Sabbah - with apparent knowledge of the impending siege, had launched Arrani on his one-way mission.
    Soon after Nizam's death, the siege of Alamut was lifted and within the year the Sultan had also died which plunged the Saljuq Empire into years of internecine struggle.  A struggle in which cousins and brothers were actively trying to murder each other in an attempt to rule - meanwhile, the Ishmailis were left alone in their mountain hideaway to enjoy their peace and quiet.


18th century sketch of Hassan-i-Sabbah

    This is a cautionary tale about market destabilisation and control of available marketshares.  Today, businessmen are trying to do more with less in an ever-increasingly erratic global economy but they seem to be changing their plans to fit the prevailing situation.  Conversley, Hassan-i-Sabbah used his business intelligence to create a far-reaching strategy that was simple, yet effective for the long term.  His desire was to create overall market instability by effecting the smaller composite markets through hostile intervention.  This, in turn allowed him to increase his control over the outcomes and, ultimately, control his marketshare.  He additionally created a niche market that in the long run provided unforeseen dividends through political manipulation.  All this was only possible through his absolute commitment to his well crafted business plan.  A plan which was set in motion more than a year before any results could materialise.  This is the true genesis of the Blue Ocean Strategy.

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