The huge retailer was on the verge of going under when it became the first major chain to abandon the physical world for cyberspace. Look to Sweden and Finland to find out. A veteran of high-tech policymaking offers a few tips on navigating the Beltway. Sony, USWest, Intel, and Comcast have kicked in cash. The information portion of any good or service has become a large part of its value.
Information is easier to customize than hard goods.
Suppliers will find it more profitable to customize products, and consumers will demand individual tailoring. Product design will soon undergo a radical shakeup. EDS chairman Les Alberthal muses on the possibilities. Keeping Score in the New Economy. Scarcity no longer drives value.