Digital Innovation and Transformation During the COVID-19 Pandemic

May 02, 2020

Read The Full Prompt

The COVID-19 outbreak is a tragedy that will have long-lasting implications for our global economy. The pandemic has showcased the value of digital operating models and is likely to force many companies to speed up their digital innovation and transformation.

For this blog post assignment, please consider ONE of the following questions:

  • Identify an organization that was under significant threat from the COVID-19 outbreak but quickly innovated its operating model to mitigate the impact during the crisis. Please describe the capabilities and processes that enabled these changes and any generalizable lessons for other organizations.
  • Identify an organization that has been significantly affected by the COVID-19 outbreak and recommend how it can leverage digital innovation to grow again.
  • Identify an organization that has experienced significant growth during the outbreak because of its digital operating model. Discuss whether this growth is short term or not and what actions the organization can take to sustain its growth.

Create an approximately 1000-word post to make your contribution on digit.hbs.org by 6 pm on May 2.

Please also respond to and comment on three other posts per assignment. Feel free to use graphics, data, videos, and links to other sites to corroborate your points.

Submitted (79)

Can America’s Pastime Bring Us A New Home Run?
Jesse Bendit
Last modified on April 30, 2020 at 3:26 pm
Fans (and everyone else) are desperate for live entertainment - can the MLB set the stage for using digital options to bring sports back to a post-COVID world? Even more, can this model be used to not just solve logistical [...]
How Marriott can re-innovate digital booking to reduce costs, preserve cash, and save franchisees
tf
Last modified on May 8, 2020 at 4:44 pm
99% of Marriott hotels are owned by franchisees, and many find themselves unprofitably competing with other Marriott hotels for dwindling demand. Can Marriott redesign its already-state-of-the-art digital tools to pool demand, further reduce costs, and preserve value for franchisees?
Teladoc and the Rise of the Virtual Doctor
Ulunma
Last modified on May 2, 2020 at 6:28 pm
Hospitals have become overwhelmed by the steep spike in number of patients that walk through their doors daily. As stay at home orders have been instituted across nations, people’s mobility have been restricted unless absolutely necessary. As a result, if [...]
Haus Apéritifs: The Restaurant Project
Leah H
Last modified on April 29, 2020 at 11:42 pm
“We wanted the ritual of drinking without the consequences of high sugar, high alcohol liquor -- And it turns out millennials want the same thing," said Co-Founder and Co-CEO Helena Price Hambrecht. "Nothing in the market worked for us, so [...]
Houseparty, just a fad?
Anuj Lohia
Posted on May 2, 2020 at 12:06 pm
Houseparty has seen remarkable growth during this coronavirus period, but will it last?
Variis – In Response to COVID-19 and Peloton
trishim11
Last modified on May 2, 2020 at 5:14 pm
Equinox and SoulCycle timed their digital release perfectly – during lockdown. But was it a job well done?
The Sweat Spot Becomes The #SweatFest: a small LA dance studio reinvents itself on Instagram
Jack Q Ma
Last modified on April 29, 2020 at 5:52 pm
The flamboyant LA hippie-ness is accidentally saving humanity from its own insanity. As a stoic New York type who loved hating on LA, I now believe.
Chipotle: Are Burritos Meant to Be Digital?
Kendra T
Posted on May 1, 2020 at 11:46 pm
Chipotle has seen its investment in a digital business model pay off during COVID-19, but will its digital growth be sustainable?
MEDS’ mobile pharmacy boom – can it sustain its market advantage beyond Covid-19?
Eve
Last modified on April 30, 2020 at 10:29 am
With only three years in operation, MEDS' 1-hour delivery mobile pharmacy is leading new customer behavior for online shopping during Covid-19. The question is - can it sustain and leverage its market advantage for future growth beyond the outbreak?
Will DocuSign push out paper-pushers during the pandemic?
Alexander Levinskiy
Posted on May 2, 2020 at 5:41 pm
COVID-19 outbreak has challenged the way many businesses are conducting their activities, including those as essential as signing. With no opportunities to sign agreements on paper physically in the era of physical distancing but still pressing needs to sign contracts [...]
The future of Harvard Business School Online: Disrupting or being disrupted?
Viria Vichit-Vadakan
Last modified on May 2, 2020 at 12:52 am
As many industries suffer from COVID 19 namely retail, restaurant, hotel, transportation, and travel, some, including online learning, have seen a tremendous growth during the crisis. One online learning platform that we will examine closely is Harvard Business School Online [...]
Pager: A Digital Doctor in Every Patient’s Family
Matt B
Posted on April 30, 2020 at 11:45 am
Pager’s innovative product, strategic business model, and rapid COVID-19 response are strong signs that the company is well-positioned to succeed in the forthcoming battle for dominance in telemedicine.
Strava: Striving in the time of Corona?
Chris H
Posted on May 2, 2020 at 1:00 pm
Strava is a fitness tracking application for “dedicated” cyclists and runners. The origin of Strava is from the Swedish word for striving: strava. Founded in 2009 by Mark Gainey and Richard Shaw [1], Strava has grown into one of the [...]
Barry’s: Bringing the Red Room to the Living Room
Melekot
Posted on May 2, 2020 at 5:51 pm
COVID-19 is making people fat, and they don’t like it.  Apart from the grave threats to lives and livelihoods that the virus poses, the physical shape of even the fittest is in dire straits.  With group gatherings banned, exercise studios [...]
ChenMed: Preventative, Capitated Care to fight COVID-19
DJ Song
Posted on April 29, 2020 at 10:39 pm
Corona virus has impacted the lives of many but is especially risky for seniors. As the COVID-19 pandemic impacts the US, primary care physician offices need to overhaul their fee for service models. ChenMed is a leader in the market. [...]
Social Fitnessing – Will Boutique Fitness Studios survive COVID-19?
r cai
Posted on May 2, 2020 at 4:22 pm
Before COVID-19, fitness spending was booming with much of the growth coming from boutique fitness studios. With their studios closed, how have they adjusted to providing experiences for their customers at home? Barry's Bootcamp has tried to bounce back by [...]
NASCAR – it takes a village for the eSport digital transformation!
MZ
Last modified on May 2, 2020 at 1:54 pm
NASCAR, while unable to keep its race schedule, turned to eSports (virtual races) and managed to keep audience and sponsorships even during COVID-19! With all the advertising money flowing into eSports, is this the start of a new era?
Talkspace: Supporting Mental Health during COVID-19
Jared V.
Posted on May 2, 2020 at 5:58 pm
As COVID-19 continues to spread throughout the globe and impacts the physical health of millions, the pandemic has also taken a toll on people's mental health. Without the ability to seek in-person help, many have turned to digital mental health [...]
Frontline Foods Delivers Food from Local Restaurants to Hospital Workers
HBSstudent0918
Posted on May 2, 2020 at 1:56 pm
Given the significant challenges for health care workers to access food and the public’s desire to show gratitude for their noble efforts, one digital nonprofit, Frontline Foods, has emerged to address this issue.
100Plus: A New Era of Remote Patient Monitoring
Joe Tung
Posted on May 1, 2020 at 7:57 am
Remote patient monitoring platform 100Plus has experienced significant growth due to the coronavirus pandemic and recent Medicare reimbursement changes. To sustain its growth, it will need to consider the competitive landscape and continue improving the platform.
COVID-19 Boosting Mercadolibre’s Growth
RLT
Posted on April 29, 2020 at 3:17 pm
COVID-19 has drastically shifted consumption to online platforms. Just in the last few weeks, Mercadolibre registered 1.7 million new customers. Overall, the number of deliveries also reached a record high, averaging more than 1.1 million orders per day.
Renner: How a traditional fast fashion player can use Covid-19 as an opportunity to change
RicardoN
Last modified on May 2, 2020 at 3:02 pm
Renner is a well-known brand in the Brazillian fast fashion market. In this short article, I propose 5 things the company could do to get ahead of its competitors during these hard times.
Steezy Studio: Netflix of Dance
PZ
Posted on April 30, 2020 at 5:29 pm
People keep on dancing at home during the pandemic, but can Steezy keep on growing after they can go outside ?
Instacart – Delivering groceries during COVID-19 and beyond
Russell
Last modified on May 2, 2020 at 8:59 pm
Why Instacart has experienced such rapid growth during this crisis - and why it will continue