是謂勝敵而益强
Sun Tzu
In The Art of War, Sun Tzu argues that it is often more advantageous to incorporate conquered foes into one’s own military forces rather than simply defeating them and moving on. By using the conquered foe to augment one’s own strength, a military leader can gain valuable resources, such as additional soldiers, weapons, and supplies, which can be used to further strengthen their position. Additionally, integrating conquered foes into one’s own military can help to reduce the potential for future uprisings or rebellion, as the conquered foes may be more likely to remain loyal if they are given a stake in the success of the military.
This is called using a conquered competitor to augment the strength of one's own business.
By incorporating a competitor’s resources, such as employees, assets, and market share, into one’s own business, a company can gain valuable advantages and increase its chances of success in the marketplace. By doing so, a business can not only gain access to new markets and customers, but also reduce the potential for future competition from the conquered company. This can ultimately help to solidify the business’s position in the market and enhance its long-term prospects.
One example of using a conquered foe to augment one’s own strength is the acquisition of a smaller competitor by a larger company. For instance, a large tech company might acquire a smaller software development firm in order to gain access to its intellectual property, skilled employees, and established customer base. By doing so, the larger company can strengthen its position in the market and gain a competitive edge over its rivals. The smaller company, in turn, benefits from the acquisition by gaining access to the larger company’s resources and expertise, which can help it to grow and thrive. In this way, both companies can benefit from the acquisition, and the larger company can use the conquered foe to augment its own strength.