Domino is a type of game where players arrange domino pieces edge to edge on a table to form chains. Each domino has a unique set of numbered ends that are stacked one on top of the other to create the chain. Normally, each end shows a number from one to twelve but can also be blank or have no numbers at all. The value of the pips on an end is the domino’s rank and can be used to determine winning strategies. Dominoes can be played with just one domino or with multiple sets in a variety of different games.
The game’s rules vary depending on the type of game, but most involve placing a domino in such a way that adjacent faces match, form a total, or block opponents from playing their tiles. The winner is the first player to complete a domino chain or block the opponent from completing his or hers. Dominoes are also sometimes used in educational activities, as they allow students to practice counting.
While it may seem that an unbroken row of dominoes could never fall over, the truth is that a single domino can cause more than just a little destruction. In 1983, a University of British Columbia physicist named Lorne Whitehead demonstrated that the force of a single domino can actually knock over an object up to one-and-a-half times its own size. In order to accomplish this, the domino would need to have a great deal of potential energy stored in it. When the first domino falls, some of this energy converts to kinetic energy and is transmitted to the next domino until the whole stack crashes down.
In business, the domino effect refers to the impact of a single event that can affect many things at once. When a small problem, such as a broken computer, negatively impacts the work of many employees at the same time, the effects can be felt well beyond just the affected company.
Domino’s Pizza has an impressive list of core values, but perhaps the most important is “Champion Our Customers.” When a company is willing to listen to its customers, the results can be remarkable. When former Domino’s CEO David Brandon heard complaints about the corporate culture, he started to make changes that included a relaxed dress code and leadership training programs for employees. When new CEO Tony Doyle took over, he continued this line of communication with workers and customers.
Domino’s is always looking for ways to improve its services. In an episode of Undercover Boss, Don Meij, the Domino’s CEO, sent a team to one of its busiest restaurants to see how employees handled customer service. It wasn’t long before the entire Domino’s system was transformed by a few simple changes. Domino’s is now a company that listens to its customers and treats them like family. The result has been a massive growth in profits for the pizza chain.