Rule 8: There's nothing that digital technology doesn't touch. I suppose that there is a restaurant or a gas station somewhere that remains unaffected by digital technology. But consider Domino's Pizza. Its franchises are located in communities all across the United States and its drivers get a pizza to your home in less than an hour. If Domino's were a publicly traded corporation, it would be one of the most highly valued stocks on Wall Street. Why? Because then Domino's could compete head-to-head with Federal Express, UPS, and the U.S. Postal Service. Overnight, it could become the delivery system of the digital economy. On paper, Domino's is a pizza business. In digital terms, it has the potential to add billions of dollars to its valuation.
Digital technology soon will transform education, medicine, the legal system, health care, politics, and government. The notion that the transformation "won't happen here" or "can't happen here" is not just wrong -- it's dangerous.
Now, you tell me what you think. Visit the Fast Company Web site, and let the discussion begin.
John Ellis (jellis@fastcompany.com) is a writer and consultant based in New York City.
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