Implementing Sun Tzu's Art of War, system of systems (SoS) thinking: Integrating pilot's F22 Raptor cockpit and the brain of CEO

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to draw a metaphorical parallel between a pilot in the cockpit of the latest, ultra‐modern US fighter F22 and that of a chief executive officer (CEO) managing his corporation in responding to global competitive challenges.Design/methodology/approach – This paper is inspired by the embedded, “system of systems (SoS) thinking” in the text of the very ancient Chinese Art of War by Sun Tzu. The approach here is to illustrate how such a 2,500‐year‐old thinking may be applied through the emerging discipline of SoS. For designing a CEO‐responsive, informative system, the innovations in designing the cockpit for a pilot in the latest US fighter jet, F22, is utilized.Findings – Today's corporate world management has, in the past, drawn heavily from the military (for example, operations research). Whilst there is a vast difference between the pilot's cockpit in an F22 and the lap‐top of the CEO, the need for deadly accurate, often reflexive decisions is the same. It is becomin...

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