支形者敵雖利我我無出也引而去令敵半出而擊之利
Sun Tzu
Sun Tzu is advising against rushing into battle or taking the bait offered by the enemy when both sides are in a position of temporizing ground. Instead, he suggests using strategic retreat and deception to lure the enemy out of their defensive position and gain the upper hand. By retreating and allowing the enemy to advance, you can create an opportunity to launch a counter-attack with the advantage of surprise and superior positioning.
In a temporizing market, even though the competition should offer us an attractive opportunity, it will be advisable not to take action, but rather to hold back and wait, thus enticing the competition in their turn; then, when part of their resources have been committed, we may take advantage with our own strategic move.
A temporizing market refers to a situation in which neither side of a potential business transaction or competition has an advantage in terms of making the first move. This could be because the two sides are evenly matched in terms of their resources, market share, or other factors. In these cases, making the first move could put a side at a disadvantage, so both sides may choose to wait and see what the other side will do before taking action.
In this situation, even if the competition offers an attractive opportunity, it may be more advantageous to hold back and wait, rather than taking action. By holding back and waiting, you can lure the competition into a false sense of security and make them more likely to commit their resources or make a move that puts them at a disadvantage. Once part of their resources have been committed, you can then take advantage with your own strategic move. This approach involves using strategic retreat and deception to gain the upper hand in a competitive business situation.