In business as in war, most battles have a winner and a loser. Unlike war, on rare occasions in business when both sides show restraint and a dose of co-operation, the more desirable outcome of a win-win can be achieved.

The worst possible outcome is when every protagonist loses as happened with last week's truce, brokered by the French government, between pharmaceuticals group Aventis and its aggressor Sanofi-Synthélabo.