11. If we wish to fight, the enemy can be forced to an engagement even though he be sheltered behind a high rampart and a deep ditch. All we need do is to attack some other place that he will be obliged to relieve.

故我欲戰敵雖高壘深溝不得不與我戰者攻其所必救也

Sun Tzu

if one wishes to engage in combat, they can force their enemy to fight by attacking a different location that the enemy will be compelled to defend. In other words, the idea is to attack a different target that the enemy values and use that to draw them out of their fortified position. This strategy can be used to overcome an enemy who is well-defended and has the advantage of a strong defensive position.

If we wish to compete, our rival can be forced into engagement even though they are well-defended in their current market. All we need to do is attack a different market that they will be obliged to defend, potentially making them vulnerable in their original market.

If a company wants to compete with a rival, they can do so by attacking a different market or sector that the rival values and is invested in. This could potentially force the rival to divert resources away from their current operations in order to defend their position in the new market, making them more vulnerable to attack in their original market. For example, if a company is dominating a particular market and has a strong position there, a rival company could try to enter a different market that the dominant company is interested in and use that to draw them into a competitive situation. This could potentially give the rival company an advantage in the original market by forcing the dominant company to divide its resources and attention.

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