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Explanation of Predatory Competition - Strategies to Win Competitions. Also refer to stronger, person, company, country, spoils, defeat, victim, schoolyard bully, victory, counterattack, Ron Kurtus, School for Champions. Copyright © Restrictions
Predatory Competition
by Ron Kurtus (1 June 2007)
A predatory competition is one where a stronger person, company or even country will attack a weaker one in order to gain the spoils of victory. The victim may try to flee and sometimes will go on the defense. On some occasions, the predator may over-estimate the ease of victory, and the victim may counterattack, turning the competition into a head-on-head battle.
Questions you may have include:
- How can a predator gain the spoils of victory?
- How does the victim respond?
- When does the predatory competition turn into head-on-head?
This lesson will answer those questions. There is a mini-quiz near the end of the lesson.
Gaining the spoils of victory
The purpose of a predatory attack is to gain the spoils of victory. Examples can be seen where a bully will pick on a weaker person or where a large company will run others out of business.
Individuals
The schoolyard bully will beat up a smaller child, not so much to take his lunch money, but rather to simply feel tough and feared.
Birds will be competing for a share of some sunflower seeds at the bird feeder when a larger bird such as a crow with swoop down and chase them all away. The crow will then help himself to the spoils of victory.
Companies
Large companies will force smaller companies out of business, if they see them as potential competition. For example, John D. Rockefeller used his Standard Oil Company to force smaller oil companies out of business through bullying tactics.
Response to attack
When a predator attacks, it is often unprovoked or at least unexpected. The victim of the attack can try to flee or perhaps defend himself.
Run away
One response is to try to run away. When the fox attacks a rabbit, the rabbit will run for its life. A group of terrorists may attack an unsuspecting village, causing the people in the village to flee and leave their belongings behind.
Defend self
In many cases, the victim of the predatory attack will try to defend himself. A company may resist a hostile take-over in the competition for ownership of the company. A boy who is attacked by a bully may cover his face to protect against blows instead of being deemed a coward by running away.
Counter-attack
Sometimes the predator will be surprised when the competition not only defends itself but turns around and counter-attacks. This will turn the one-sided predatory competition into a head-on-head competition, where the predatory may even suffer a loss.
War
When Japan attacked Pearl Harbor in December 1941, they made a predatory attack on the United States—a competitor that was larger and potentially stronger than them. Their ability to bring other countries to their knees in predatory competitions made them overconfident. The United States counterattacked and ultimately defeated Japan in the World War II battle of the Pacific.
Bully loses
Another example is when the schoolyard bully attacks a boy, who then goes home and gets his older brother to help him. The brother then beats up the bully and tells him never to pick on his kid brother again.
Summary
In a predatory competition, a stronger person, company or even country will attack a weaker one to gain the spoils of victory. The victim may try to flee and sometimes will go on the defense. On some occasions, the predator may over-estimate the ease of victory and may even be defeated.
Know the skills of others
Resources
The following are resources on this subject.
Websites
Books
Top-rated books on Competition
Mini-quiz to check your understanding
1. Why would a company bother to destroy smaller competitors?
2. What did the Polish army do when Germany attacked the country in 1939?
3. What might happen when a lion attacks a small baby elephant?
If you got all three correct, you are on your way to becoming a Champion in Winning Competitions. If you had problems, you had better look over the material again.
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Predatory Competition