Note on Energy as a Strategic Force

This note explores the concept of ki, or energy. It concentrates on aikido, a Japanese martial art that channels the human body's natural energy toward balance, health, grounding, and the mental clarity required to overcome obstacles and discover new insights. Aikido is a defensively oriented martial art, designed to utilize the ki of the attack in a manner that turns that energy to the detriment of the attacker. The note discusses the six principles of aikido and applies them to business situations. It brings new perspectives on challenges and opportunities faced by businesses ranging from Dollar General to Standard and Poor's to Rodale Press, and generates insights about strategy, including purpose, mission, culture, mergers, and competition. Excerpt UVA-S-0325 Rev. Jan. 22, 2021 Note on Energy as a Strategic Force Tai chi. Acupuncture. Aikido. What do they have in common? They all channel the human body's natural energy toward balance, health, grounding, and the mental clarity required to overcome obstacles and discover new insights. Eastern philosophers teach us to stay balanced by following the Middle Way with perseverance and discipline. The Tao Te Ching centers on our connection to, and harmony with, nature. The Eastern inclination toward relationships rather than individualism, and toward harmony instead of separation, manifests itself in the practices of managing and channeling energy. This energy has several names: it is called chi (pronounced chee) in China; ki in Japan; spirit in Europe, the Americas, and the Middle East; Ubuntu in South Africa; Vodou in Haiti and Nigeria; and prana in India. This note will introduce you to ki. We start with a brief visit to acupuncture and its release of the natural energy coursing through ki channels in our bodies. Then we move to the internal or soft martial arts of tai chi and aikido, which will serve as analogs for handling external and internal challenges coming from all directions. Because the Chinese art of tai chi is more familiar in the West, we will focus here on the Japanese martial art of aikido. . . .