The Cutting Edge. The Martial Art of Business (Paperback) (ISBN-13: 9789081927727)

Bjørn Aris (02-02-1965) Global management trainer, entrepreneur, published author, ex investment banker, Japanese swordsmanship, East meets West, Zen - here & now is all we have Bjørn Aris started his career at the AMRO Bank. After a successful career as an international banker and subsequently as entrepreneur, he shifted his focus. Having noticed that salaries usually account for the biggest share of organisational cost structures, he had become intrigued by the difficulty most leaders face in managing it. He committed to studying human beings, drawing on subjects as diverse as (neuro)physiology, biochemistry, and philosophy - including the four layers of consciousness described in Western thought (note: Eastern thought has identified nine). Since 1993, Bjørn has continued to deepen his knowledge of eastern philosophy as well as taking up Zen philosophy. He also deepened his commitment to the study of Japanese martial arts, particularly the Way of the Sword. In 2004, his experiences and knowledge lead to a critical insight: knowledge and theory can be gained using physical movement - thus by-passing the intellect. Eventually, this insight led to spectacular results in terms of knowledge retention and (behavioural) change, and to a book titled "Knowledge Productivity." These results have been affirmed in academic publications. Bjørn's most recent book was published in 2011. Titled "The cutting edge: The martial arts of business," it describes the limitations of the Western model - in particular, the Western approach to knowledge - and contrasts it with the Eastern approach, which emphasises know-how. One of the main sources of Bjørn's know-how is the samurai sword. www.returnonpeople.nl nl.linkedin.com/in/bjornaris twitter.com/bjornaris FB: http: //on.fb.me/RiZiWG Video English: http: //bit.ly/lZ3ASy