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.

MBA Notes from an Assassin (part one of two)

Nahavand (present day Iran)
    The wandering Sufi had been there for days on end.  His requests for alms from the local merchants would have been a nuisance were it not for his supplications to Allah on behalf of his benefactors.  He, like so many other wandering mendicants of the time, carried a petition which begged everyone to sign.  this petition concerned some religious principle that was important to the individual Sufi and would eventually be sent to the Caliph for review and possible institution as a law in the book of Sharia.  So, with this dirty and wrinkled sheet of paper, our mendicant made his daily rounds; collecting signatures, meditating and begging alms but never straying too far from his chosen street corner.
    On the afternoon of 14 October 1092, a beautiful litter was carried down the street by four bearers who were surrounded by body guards.  The retinue heralded his arrival well in advance so that the streets were thronged with people trying to catch a glimpse of the most important administrator in the Saljuq Empire; Nizam al Mulk.  With a signature like Nizam's on his petition, surely, the Caliph would pay attention and therefore our dervish would be that much closer to heaven, so he pushed his way forward through the crowd.  He was filthy and quite brusque, so parting the crowd wasn't difficult and finding himself on the front line of the crowd, he was the picture of patient piety: a bedraggled and emaciated servant of Allah, awaiting his chance to fulfil his religious duty.  

    As the Saljuq Empire's great Wazir and sole adviser to the Sultan himself, Nizam, passed by, our beggar advanced with temerity towards the litter, calling audibly for the blessings of Allah to be placed upon the Wazir if only he signed this poor beggar's petition.  The Wazir heard him and allowed the holy man to approach his litter and for a moment a hush fell over the crowd.  As they silently cheered for their local beggar to succeed and the beggar's squalid rags lingered near the Wazir's opulent and colourful garments.  The beggar complied with the Wazir's request and handed over his petition dutifully - from such a lowly life station, the beggar dared not to explain anything to one such as the Wazir, he allowed the great man to read the petition for himself before signing.  During that moment of distraction, a moment caused by the Wazir himself, our mendicant priest pulled a dagger from his sleeve and plunged it repeatedly into the Wazir's chest.  The priest too died where he stood - hacked to pieces by the Wazir's body guards, once they recovered from their initial shock.  Afterwards, many eye-witnesses would claim that despite the opportunity for escape, the priest never even tried to get away.

The murder of Nizam al Mulk