Richness or reach? The trade-off used to be simple but absolute: business strategy either could focus on "rich" 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.
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, customers increasingly will have rich access to a universe of alternatives, suppliers will exploit direct access to customers, and focused competitors will pick off the most profitable parts of your value chain. According to "Blown to Bits, " 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.