The writer of this paper details how the necessity of
strategy has made Sun Tsu and Machiavelli extremely popular subjects
in business classes around the country. This paper examines the principles and
strategic views of both Sun Tsu and Machiavelli while discussing their relevance in today's business world. This paper explores the various reasons both Machiavelli and Sun Tsu have been criticized for their ruthlessness. The writer delves into the issue of ethics and morality as a tactical
strategy as detailed in Machiavelli's "The Prince" which is often read as a purely strategic text. The writer contends and explains why business is war and that the tactics of warfare and diplomacy make good business. This paper details the five governing factors that must be taken into account in both warfare and business as dictated in Sun Tsu's "The Art of War." This paper analyzes how the Coca Cola Corporation successfully applied Sun Tsu's "Stratagem of Sowing Discord" in a campaign to outsell Pepsi Corp.