Tic-Tac-Toe and Business Strategy
![Image](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtl_JdT1TiLH3KKzO_qSZJXLNXGiBszbkLOXiNur_pIypySEvru01hLfCsdRdhW8ti4lYwJ35qiRBE-pDdc40n9S0ThltPo58RicxMTryXf3dnZaNy9Nr6ZkBCiWEpykhIM46I/s200/first_move_positioning.png)
Business strategy is often likened to a game of chess: complex rules, practically infinite variations, many complex patterns, difficult to master... The complexity of chess can easily obscure the points about strategy, so let's use another game as a model for understanding the use of business strategy: Tic-Tac-Toe: Business strategy is about moving swiftly and getting an advantageous position. In Tic-Tac-Toe, this is pretty straight forward: The first mover can choose the best position. In business, it is a bit more complicated. For example, a first mover may have to expend effort blazing a trail, selling a new concept to the market. A second mover can use the trail blazed by the first mover. when the time is right, the second mover can pounce, exploiting a weakness in the first mover's strategy. Even if business strategy is more complex, the principle is the same: Move swiftly when the time comes, go for an advantageous position. One important aspect that is often overlook