Dell was founded in 1984 by Michael Dell and is headquartered in Round Rock, Texas. It employs over 200,000 people globally. Dell's strategy is to build computers to order based on customer needs to provide customized solutions efficiently as a low-cost leader through a direct sales model. This allows for mass customization and just-in-time manufacturing. Dell controls execution through metrics like return on invested capital, average selling price, costs, and accounts receivable and payable days.