Blown to Bits: How the New Economics of Information Transforms Strategy

Abstract

From the Publisher: Richness or reach? The trade-off used to be simple but absolute: Your business strategy either could focus on information—customized products and services tailored to a niche audience—or could reach out to a larger market, but with watered-down information that sacrificed richness in favor of a broad, general appeal. Much of business strategy as we know it today rests on this fundamental trade-off. Now, say Evans and Wurster, the new economics of information is eliminating the trade-off between richness and reach, blowing apart the foundations of traditional business strategy. With the spread of connectivity and common standards, your customers will increasingly have rich access to a universe of alternatives, your suppliers will exploit direct access to your customers, and focused competitors will pick off the most profitable parts of your value chain. According to Blown to Bits, your business definition, industry definition, and competitive advantage are simultaneously up for grabs. With an uncompromising clarity and vivid examples, Blown to Bits is targeted squarely at today's practicing business and corporate leaders. This groundbreaking book shows how to build new strategies that reflect a world where richness and reach go hand in hand, and explains how to take advantage of the new forces shaping competitive advantage.