12 Of The Shrewdest Business Maneuvers Of All Time

The success of failure of a business can come down to one single bold decision.

A recent thread on Quora asked users to name the "the shrewdest, smartest maneuver you've ever seen in business."

We've broken out some of the best answers, including critical decisions by Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, and Henry Ford.

Click here to see the maneuvers>

Puma paid Pelé $120,000 to tie his shoes at the 1970 soccer World Cup final.

Via Quora user Roberto deLeon: 

Amidst a "sneaker war" between Adidas and Puma in the late 1960s, the "Pelé Pact" was informally created between the two companies, which stipulated that neither company was allowed to promote their products via soccer legend Edson Arantes do Nascimento, aka Pelé. 

According to the LA Times, Hans Henningsen, a representative for Puma, approached Pelé before the 1970 World Cup. 

Before the opening of the final match, Pelé asked the officials for a moment to tie his shoes before beginning play. All of the world watched Pelé tie his Puma sneakers. 

Henry Ford did something unheard of and doubled worker salaries, while cutting their day down an hour. It massively boosted production.

Via Quora user Balaji Viswanathan:

In the early 20th century, workers were seen as something entirely interchangeable. Ford's independent move to boost worker salaries was particularly brilliant for a few reasons:

• It drastically reduced worker turnover, reducing training costs and keeping the best people around.
• The PR impact was hugely positive.
• Absenteeism dropped because there was a real reason to stay.
• The quality of the applicant pool massively improved.

Porsche acquired nearly all of Volkswagen's shares in 2006, ultimately making €30-40 billion.

Via Quora user Mohammed Chang:

In 2006, European sports car company Porsche, having a close relationship with Volkswagen, decided to invest in a larger stake in VW, fueling speculation that it would ultimately take the company over.

While Porsche did not intend on buying out VW, it did create a "short squeeze" and buying frenzy by hedge fund managers. The price of VW subsequently soared, "briefly making VW the world's most valuable company,"according to the Economist.