Everybody Wants to Rule the World

About the Author

R “Ray” Wang is the CEO of Silicon Valley-based Constellation Research Inc. He co-hosts DisrupTV, a weekly enterprise tech and leadership webcast that averages 50,000 views per episode, and blogs at raywang.org. His best-selling book on digital transformation, Disrupting Digital Business, was published by Harvard Business Review Press in 2015. Wang is frequently quoted and interviewed in media outlets such as the Wall Street Journal, Fox Business, CNBC, Yahoo Finance, Cheddar, and Bloomberg.

Main Idea

Everybody Wants to Rule the World by R “Ray” Wang is a groundbreaking guide that helps businesses adapt to thrive among digital giants like Google, Facebook, and Amazon. The book reveals how extreme consolidation is reshaping the global business landscape and how data-driven digital networks (DDDNs) have powered the most successful companies. Readers will learn how to compete against digital duopolies and create their own data-driven digital networks.

Table of Contents

1. The Rise of Duopolies
2. Data-Driven Digital Networks
3. How to Compete in the Age of Duopolies
4. Thriving in a World of Digital Giants
5. How Duopolies Compete Today
6. The Old Rules Do Not Apply
7. Business Unusual: The Age of Duopolies
8. The Five Pillars of Growth and Change
9. Inside the Business and Monetization Models That Power Digital Giants
10. Pursue Decision Velocity
11. Design for a Long-Term Mindset
12. Partner or Be Punished
13. Where Do We Go From Here?

The Rise of Duopolies

The concept of "digital transformation" dominated the business world in the 2010s. Companies were rapidly adopting new technologies like cloud computing, mobile technologies, social networks, data analytics, and AI to transform their business models and processes. This shift was driven by the need to stay competitive in a fast-evolving landscape. As Ray Wang highlights, the result was a winner-takes-all scenario where a few dominant players, or duopolies, emerged. Companies like Facebook, Amazon, Google, and Netflix became leaders in their respective fields, leveraging data and digital networks to consolidate their positions.

"Duopolies are forever changing when and how we buy, where we bank, and how our data is used. Make no mistake: Their rise represents a life-or-death challenge for your company—no matter what sector you’re in or how long you’ve held a secure position." - R “Ray” Wang

Data-Driven Digital Networks

Wang explains that today's monopolies and duopolies are often deliberately constructed as data-driven digital networks (DDDNs). A DDDN captures, harnesses, and deploys insights from vast amounts of data provided by users. Companies like Google and Amazon exemplify this model. Google uses search data to sell targeted ads, while Amazon leverages purchase data to recommend products. This flywheel effect—where data leads to better targeting, which leads to more engagement, and thus more data—drives their dominance.

The power of DDDNs lies in their ability to apply digital feedback loops to all stakeholders, including customers, employees, suppliers, and partners. This enables them to mitigate risks, identify new opportunities, improve operational efficiency, and anticipate customer demands. The ultimate goal is to create a closed ecosystem that leaves little room for competitors.

How to Compete in the Age of Duopolies

Wang offers two primary strategies for companies to thrive in this era: