How different is this concept from co-opetition (melding cooperation and competition?)

The New Language of Competition: Are You Friend or Froe?
Sir Martin Sorrell, WPP’s founder and CEO has forgotten one small sticky substantial fact
China has a vast population and there is clarity in producing everything in mass including the high technical CEOs of CFO or COOs. Think of a small country marred with poverty, illiteracy and graft. It is a small country and I doubt if you expect many clever and bright people coming out of the small box. The bigger the country, bigger the population, bigger the opportunities of getting more of the cream of the creamy heads. The smaller the population small the head all over from toe to the grey matter and output.

I thank you
Firozali A.Mulla MBA PhD
P.O.Box 6044
Dar-Es-Salaam
Tanzania
East Africa

Sir
The complete African continent depends on Chinese goods as we in Tanzania cannot afford the expensive designer's choice that may be so.But the fake and counterfeits that comes out from the world is so much that I know in confidence that I am buying the cheap goods from India, Fareast or China. We have been living with these goods since 1961 the independence of Tanzania.
I have no complaints.For that matter I see very little complaints on the Chinese product for many countries except US and Australia(screaming the head on toys only. That is not the Chinese Total product.) We have many other good things that come out from China
I thank you
Firozali A.Mulla MBA PhD
P.O.Box 6044
Dar-Es-Salaam
Tanzania
East Africa

Why exactly are these "original insights?" As a reader pointed out this is the same as the concept of coopetition that has been around for about a decade or so. Indeed some of the examples given related to the relationships between semi condictor and PC companies and Chinese manufacturers and Western companies have been in place for over a decade and is not a recent phenomenon.

Lets have some genuine game changing ideas please!

Neither the concepts nor the propsed approach have any novelty. Nonetheless, the relevance of the understanding the friends and enemies can not be understated.
Whatever happened to "Keep your friends close, and enemies closer still"?

Nilesh Patel

Brandenburger and Nalebuff also introduced their " Value Net " model in the 90's, which was published in HBR in the July-August 1995 issue, and added great insights to this topic.
maybe we need to know more about what Sir Sorrell said to be able to appreciate its novelty.

The need for collaboration in competition is not restricted to business.Political leaders also need to collaborate in order to, for instance, protect the environment; and engender a more equitable distribution of the wealth of the world.It is only these that will ultimately ensure global peace, security and long lasting prosperity.

From the comments already stated previously in that this is not really a new idea but a re-purposed concept of coopetition or quadrants in the value net equation, it is interesting how truly new ideas are hard to come by. Another old saying ocmes to mind, "keep your friend close but keep your enemies closer."

The claim that the concept is a new insight calls to mind the Russian saying that "all is new that is long forgotten"

" Friend or Froe " We must keep ourselves away from such words.
In Global market all are customers. As we all believe in harmony.

kmdesai, A Investor.

Ultimately one really begins to wonder the underlying trajectory with respect to the emerging world in the African continent.
It would be nice to see a senario where these countries have the motivating 'drive'that has continually projected the economies of the US and China in a world that can only be best imagined!

There is yet another language to be taught and to learn sir
I am not in the Saudi but the TV of the day is very interesting. Well almost I would say humorous. There is reason. Mr. Bush
He came to the Saudi, told the Saudi they had a problem from Iran, Better be warmed and be on guard. Buy more weapons from me. Then he goes to the other parts the Middle East. Same message to all the Arab land. Then he comes back to the Saudi and tells the King, this are my word as I do not speak Arabic.” We need oil. We need this very badly. We are facing problems as we may go in recession. Please increase the output and we will buy wall the oil. Please Iran is a threat. We are in fact attacking the Iran trade by calling of all the pistachios. We will give these to the world. But please increase oil. We need oil. Iran is attacking you. Oil please.”
Well this is slightly exaggerated but the lingo is same if you translate in the language of politicians.
Am I right? More questions then answer.
I thank you
Firozali A Mulla MBA PhD
P.O.Box 6044
Dar-Es-Salaam
Tanzania
East Africa

Davos,
The state of economy, politics or gossips no one can tell. Why too much hype in the language with many hiccups.
US politics trumping economics, or vice versa?
Weak data force bank to take bold approach

Sir:
If there is policy it belongs to the US. If the DAVOS turns into quagmire of politic issue and monetary issue of the felled markets of the world, the primary cause is US. How can you state otherwise? There is no vice versa. It is US and all know of this.
I thank you
Firozali A Mulla MBA PhD
P.O.Box 6044
Dar-Es-Salaam
Tanzania
East Africa

Sir
Iran sanctions by USA will not work
Now this is not a trade questions the Axis of Evil was based on the Islamic values.
It is fallacy to stop me to trade with other when the outsiders want my commodities they cannot get form the ones you outcast. Here is what I mean. Iran sells the product to the Middle East, India, Europe, many other countries and not just America. It is just like the story of Ostrich hiding the head in the sand when the storm comes. Iran does not need American dollars that are on decline. Euro now is 1.25 American dollars. The New York traders in fact have started accepting the Euro as the cash as their cry is;”When we come to Sates, we do not want to haggle in price as we are accustomed to the now strong Euro”.
Any threats have never worked in children, adults, and nation. There is always a way to come back to beat the sanctions. China was blamed for the lead sprayed toys, cheap shoes, dumplings. Has any stopped buying the Chinese goods? Indian goods? No. All look at what is they want and that is it. No politics in my way of purchase. I need my freedom with my pay and my savings. Hoe come anyone comes to guide me in this.
I not only disagree with the powerful arms to guide all to buy what they want to sell, but this is against the economical cannons. It is choice, scarcity, demands, and my pleasure. No more, no less. This is from one paper, Finally, when asked what their expectation of the value of the US dollar was in relation to other currencies, traders continue to see a decline, with over 56% of the respondents saying the dollar will fall “moderately to significantly” over the remainder of 2008. Since clearly most traders are not shorting markets consistently, it makes the drop in the number of profitable forex trades they are expecting more understandable.

I thank you
Firozali A Mulla MBA PhD
P.O.Box 6044
Dar-Es-Salaam
Tanzania
East Africa

I wish to start from the topic “Are you Friend or Froe?” Personally, I am viewing this from a comprehensive point of view whereby I begin to apply this to all that I am doing ranging from my work environment, personal business strategy, customers, partners and known competitors with the mindset that your current customers and partners (without threat to your business) today are seen as Friend but in a short while could turn to Business Competitors otherwise seen as Foe. However, my lesson is to keep every contact at ARMS LENGTH and always seek continuous business growth, making differentiation of product and services a tenacious activity and top PRIORITY. Your Friends today might be a Foe tomorrow, BE PREPARED... A further illustration to this is Microsoft and Google, long and outstanding business friend turned foe. Also, I will not fail to comment on the non-standard controls of the Chinese products as compared to the products of old from Western world, I pray for the regulatory agencies in my country Nigeria to live up-to their responsibilities at controlling influx of the substandard products from the Asian markets.