Business consultant Bolko von Oetinger, a student of military
and business strategy, says that business can learn a few lessons
from the principles of warfare -- most notably in the idea that
managers must be able to improvise in the face of changing
circumstances. He suggests that Linux is a prime model for how
business must reevaluate old practices.
"War, Mr. [Bolko] von Oetinger says, does provide a context to
study strategy in action. Military strategy, like business
strategy, is all about intelligent opponents clashing and making
decisions in an uncertain environment...."
"One such terrorist group for software suppliers is the loosely
affiliated network of techies who collaborate on Linux software.
They're subversive because they develop free software that
undermines the stuff their own companies pay good money for."
"Mr. von Oetinger suggests that software and systems suppliers
should look closely at this enemy within and listen instead of
fight, perhaps by offering products that allow these users to
configure their own systems, as Linux encourages them to do."
