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RC TOM Challenge 2018

November 13, 2018

Read The Full Prompt

The TOM Challenge provides an opportunity for you to continue exploring organizational learning and innovation through the lens of process improvement and/or product development, the focus of RC TOM’s second module. In this challenge, you will investigate how an organization is grappling with machine learning, additive manufacturing, or open innovation. These megatrends are likely to significantly affect how organizations manage process improvement and product development in the coming years of your career. The TOM Challenge requires you to (1) conduct research and write an essay that examines how one organization is facing a particular aspect of one of these megatrends, and (2) write six comments that share your reflections on some of your section mates’ essays.

Your essay should address four questions in the context of the organization you choose:

  1. Why do you think the megatrend you selected is important to your organization’s management of process improvement and/or product development?
  2. What is the organization’s management doing to address this issue in the short term (the next two years) and the medium term (two to ten years out)?
  3. What other steps do you recommend the organization’s management take to address this issue in the short and medium terms?
  4. In the context of this organization, what are one or two important open questions related to this issue that you are unsure about that merit comments from your classmates?

Your essay should convey facts, analysis, and your recommendations. It should focus on a single organization (e.g., a single company, non-profit organization, or government agency) and a concern related to one megatrend. It is fine if the concern you choose relates to other megatrends that the organization is facing, but that’s not required. Roughly a third of your essay should be dedicated to each of the first three questions, with just a few sentences dedicated to the fourth question. Your essay should be at least 700 words but no more than 800 words, and must conclude with a word count in parentheses (such as 778 words).

When posting your essay to Open Knowledge, be sure to enter “Machine Learning”, “Additive Manufacturing”, or “Isolationism” in the Topics field.

More details on research, sourcing, deadlines, and other matters are provided in the RC TOM Challenge: 2018 note.  For assistance with the Open Knowledge platform during business hours (9:00 am – 5:00 pm M-F), email openknowledge@hbs.edu. A short video with instructions on how to post an essay to this platform is available at https://d3.harvard.edu/platform-rctom/how-to/.

Submitted (926)

That Friend Who Always Knows What to Say: How Google is Helping Brands Talk to Consumers
Florence the Machine
Posted on November 8, 2018 at 3:53 pm
I don't talk to my friends the same way I talk to my grandma. Neither does Google.
C.H. Robinson – Predicting the Future in the Global Supply Chain
Elisa
Posted on November 9, 2018 at 3:38 pm
As the global economy and supply chain continues to become increasingly intertwined disruptions can spread rapidly around the world. How can these events be predicted to limit adverse impact to companies?
Walmart takes on Amazon: The Journey from Brick & Mortar to Click & Mortar
dook
Posted on November 13, 2018 at 6:58 pm
The retail industry is facing a digital revolution at a pace never seen before. With the digital behemoth that is Amazon, traditional brick & mortar retailers are challenged to find ways to integrate analytics to remain competitive. This article looks [...]
The Growing Market for Identifying Fake IDs
Courtney H
Posted on November 13, 2018 at 7:41 pm
As commerce increasingly transitions to digital platforms, there is an increasing market for identity verification that does not come at the expense of user experience. Companies like Jumio are leaning on advancements in machine learning to support that transition.
Crowdsourcing legacy: How Rio is changing policymaking
Rio
Posted on November 13, 2018 at 1:13 pm
The government of Rio de Janeiro asked its citizens to propose ways to build a legacy for Rio after the 2016 Olympic Games.
Is Boeing Switching to Autopilot? – Machine Learning in the Aerospace Industry
Pilot fish
Last modified on November 13, 2018 at 7:09 pm
Machine learning is perceived to be the holy grail of business rejuvenation and its adoption a direct route to capturing future markets. Will the aerospace industry and Boeing prove that these expectations may not always be straight out of "la [...]
Smart from start to finish: GM’s path to new processes and products
Leo
Last modified on November 13, 2018 at 6:59 pm
General Motors uses intelligent assembly lines to manufacture the intelligent cars of tomorrow
Babel Street: The Cacophony of Social Media is the New Newsroom
mrrobot
Posted on November 13, 2018 at 5:55 pm
Natural language processing and sentiment analysis are enabling computers to understand our social media posts. What are the implications for public safety and user privacy?
Can AI be More “Creative” than Humans?: Launch of AI Advertising Copywriter
Sadaharu
Last modified on November 13, 2018 at 8:05 pm
Can AI even substitute an advertising copywriter - a "creative" profession?
Innovation through acquisition at General Mills
Patrick Toller
Posted on November 14, 2018 at 10:25 am
Innovation through acquisition and creation of its own venture capital fund is setting General Mills up for success in the future.
Wasabi Ginger Potato Chips- Betcha Can’t Have Just One?
Chip
Posted on November 13, 2018 at 6:07 pm
You could be the inventor of Lay's next chip flavor as Pepsi turns to consumers for innovation.
Can Yelp use AI to Disrupt its Business Model?
Yelp Elite '20
Posted on November 14, 2018 at 3:49 am
Can Yelp use AI to Disrupt its Business Model?
Tesla – Fully Autonomous Driving Has Never Been Closer
Michelangelo
Posted on November 13, 2018 at 8:18 pm
Tesla's competitive advantage in self-driving cars.
Where is Alpha? – Machine Learning at D. E. Shaw
Saturday
Posted on November 13, 2018 at 12:01 am
Can machines outsmart humans in the market? D. E. Shaw believes they can.
The Dark Side of Machine Learning: An Amazon Case Study
nicivey
Posted on November 13, 2018 at 4:52 pm
From startups to Big Tech, everyone loves to tout their strategy for leveraging machine learning (ML). These companies promise ML is our 21st century savior; it will not only liberate us from the tedious drudgery of administrative tasks but will [...]
Glossier Beauty: Innovating, Not Inundating
J Student
Last modified on November 13, 2018 at 8:14 pm
Glossier democratizes beauty, builds a community of consumers to drive product innovation.
GE: Paving the Way in Medical Technology Using 3D Printing
ght93
Posted on November 11, 2018 at 1:39 pm
General Electric is using 3D printing to lead cutting-edge innovation in the healthcare space and will ultimately bring better, customized medical technologies to market faster and more cost-effectively.
Airbnb: Machine Learning to optimize the future of Gig Economy and the power of economy-sharing
Nathalia Barbosa
Last modified on November 11, 2018 at 9:23 pm
Airbnb has focused in delivering a product that boosts the actual volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity of the market scenario by addressing the value in “experiences” for millennial generation
Lady Justice and the Machines: An Algorithmic Approach to Criminal Justice Reform
Indigo Watson
Posted on November 13, 2018 at 12:02 am
California Senate Bill 10 (SB 10), which Governor Jerry Brown signed into law in August (2018), fundamentally transforms California’s approach to pretrial detention.[1] As in most states, California previously operated a ‘cash bail’ system, which allowed individuals suspected of having [...]
Love in a Hopeless Place: Machine Learning at OkCupid
MM
Posted on November 13, 2018 at 6:21 pm
How one dating company can warn off the creeps and (maybe) help you find the love of your life.
A World Without Checkout Cashiers…But What Are We Giving Up to Save 2 Minutes?
Adam Smith
Posted on December 30, 2018 at 1:28 pm
Amazon has ambitions to radically change retail stores, but it's unclear if all its cameras, weight sensors, and computer vision will lead to higher profitability and more customers or instead become a financial boondoggle and privacy nightmare.
Fighting Fraud with Machine Learning at American Express
Andy Harris
Posted on November 13, 2018 at 2:22 pm
Global financial institutions spend billions of dollars on credit card fraud. American Express is fighting this fraud through investment in machine learning.
The North Face & IBM Watson: A Winning E-Commerce Combination?
HeartyHarvard
Posted on November 6, 2018 at 3:58 pm
  The North Face is an American apparel brand well known for its winter jackets and outdoor equipment, striving to “provide the best gear for athletes and the modern day explorer”1. It is lesser known for its technological innovation and [...]
Additive Manufacturing: Potential Solution to the Labor Shortage in Construction
Sterling Archer
Posted on November 13, 2018 at 1:37 pm
Additive Manufacturing’s Importance Despite a recovery from the Great Recession of 2008-2009, productivity in the construction sector lags behind many other segments of the economy. According to a McKinsey Global Institute paper, world manufacturing productivity has increased an average of [...]
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