Dominoes, also called bones, pieces, tiles, men, or cards, are small, flat rectangular blocks used in a variety of games. They are typically twice as long as they are wide and have a line in the middle that divides them into two squares, each with a number of pips or spots.

They can be made of a variety of materials, including wood and bone. The most common ones are carved from walnut, oak, and cherry, although some are made of plastic. They can range in size from about half an inch to a foot tall and are often painted.

A domino set usually contains 28 dominoes. Each domino has one end that can be stacked onto another. The other end is labeled with a number of pips, which can be read visually as the value of the opposite side.

The number of pips can vary from six pips to none or blank. Some sets use a more readable Arabic numeral system for each side of the domino instead of pips.

In many domino games, a player’s objective is to make matches between a domino of a specific color and a domino of a different color, using a corresponding color of the other players’ dominoes. In other games, players try to score points by removing certain numbers of dominoes from play.

If a domino is toppled, it triggers a chain reaction that starts at the top of the stack and moves down toward the bottom. This is the same process that takes place in the brain when a nerve impulse strikes the membrane of an organ or muscle.

As Domino’s founder Tom Monaghan learned the pizza business in the 1950s, he tried to build his restaurants into the most popular in the area. His plan was to create a brand with a unique identity, but it was harder than he expected.

He wanted to differentiate himself from other pizza restaurants by offering fast delivery, which would attract new customers and entice old ones to come back again. But the 30-minute guarantee he rolled out in 1984 was too risky and caused a series of accidents.

To address these problems, Doyle restructured the company to emphasize the importance of leadership and management. The company adopted a less bureaucratic structure and looked to behavioral theory to find leaders who were made for the job.

The company also restructured to allow more employees to take ownership of their work. By allowing workers to vote on major decisions, it created a more collaborative environment and a stronger sense of ownership among its employees.

In addition, it was clear that technology was a key part of the company’s success. The company hired half of its workforce in software analytics to help develop new technologies for ordering pizza and texting emojis, among other things.

The company is also working on a “purpose-built” pizza-delivery vehicle that will be ready for the future. This will help the chain expand its reach and stay competitive in the fast-food sector. The goal is to be ready for future changes in transportation, such as the introduction of robotic vehicles and drones.