Dell: If you look at the global market, we have 42 percent of the market, about 23 percent market share. But in the other 58 percent of the market, we only have 6 percent market share - so there is a big opportunity for us in that 58 percent. Some key countries for us are China, Brazil, and Germany. Our growth in Asia in the first quarter was over 60 percent. We are seeing growth in both Asia and Europe that's significantly faster than in the United States.

AW: How do you plan to evolve as you get into new
areas that require different ways of doing business?
Dell: One of the things we have learned as we have gone into markets outside the United States is that there are these refinements and adjustments that occur because each market is a little bit different. It's just like each product area can be a little bit different. One of the beauties of the direct-business model is that you have this incredible feedback from the customer. So it is a very fast and responsive system that makes sure - so long as you listen very, very carefully - the customer will tell you.

AW: A lot of companies - particularly old-economy companies - seek advice on your style. Is it easier said than done to pick out their problems and fix them?
Dell: If you look at a company like ours, it hasn't been around that long - relatively speaking. We are a 17-year-old company. If you were referring to a start-up, you would say that is a long time, but in the history of most companies, 17 years is not. We have traveled a lot of ground, though. What has happened to a lot of companies is that the pace of change has accelerated on them, and it has gotten beyond their planning system or the organization's ability to deal with it. So you have this hyperchange or turmoil that exists in industry, which is accelerated by technological change.