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Surviving Goliath

BY Stanley P. Jaskiewicz
October 31, 2012

Since Biblical times, humans have rooted for the “little guy” competing against a much bigger foe. From King David to Rocky Balboa, everyone loves the underdog. We even have a proverb for this situation: “The bigger they come, the harder they fall.”

But the truth is that, despite David's victory in the Bible, the Goliaths of the world usually win. e-Commerce tells the same story, as many of the strongest retailers are equally big in the virtual world ' Walmart.com, Target.com, Apple.com, QVC.com or BestBuy.com, for example.

Surprisingly, though, Goliath does not win 100% of the time ' only 71.5%, according to a study by Boston University Political Science Professor Ivan Arregu'n-Toft. Arregu'n-Toft specializes in the study of conflict, and was cited by guru Malcolm Gladwell in his recent article and forthcoming book, David and Goliath, on how the same principles that allow small combatants to prevail can apply to business (see, “How David Beats Goliath,” The New Yorker, http://nyr.kr/TImyig).

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