Digitization Challenge

November 18, 2016

Read The Full Prompt

Choose a company that provides an interesting example of how digital transformation has created opportunities or challenges for business and operating models. A business model defines how a business differentiates itself by creating and capturing value. An operating model defines how that business delivers on that promise. Describe how the organization is using digital technology to develop its business model and operating model, and describe and justify what additional steps you think the organization should consider implementing. Your example can describe a positive (e.g., a success story or best practice) or negative experience (e.g., a business failure).

Note: The post for this assignment should be 600–800 words, and must conclude with a word count such as “(778 words).” Posts should not exceed 800 words.

Submitted (926)

Euclid Analytics and Rethinking the IoT for Consumer Goods
Tom S.
Last modified on November 18, 2016 at 12:32 am
Companies like Euclid Analytics are “uploading” the retail store environment.
How is big data changing GE’s oil and gas business?
CTI
Last modified on November 18, 2016 at 1:13 am
GE monitors over 800 gas turbines in 27 countries, collecting millions of hours of machine data. GE has helped its customers to avoid significant costs associated with production loss, downtime, travel, and unscheduled maintenance.
Digitally enabled policing: redefining incident identification, response, and prediction
JPW
Posted on November 18, 2016 at 1:04 am
Digital technology is changing the world of policing. The Boston Police Department (BPD), like its peers throughout the US and the world, is adapting its operating model to leverage new digital tools and approaches in traditional policing contexts and to [...]
Nordstrom: introducing customers to the future of multi-channel retail
ZA
Posted on November 18, 2016 at 4:45 am
Digitalization has allowed new online-only competitive players to enter the retail market, but it has also brought a wide range of opportunities to traditional retailers willing to engage with technologies to better serve their multi-channel customers
How Macy’s and Technology “Fit” Well Together
Erica Federman
Last modified on November 18, 2016 at 4:24 pm
How one of the largest retailers gets “smart” about customer shopping experiences.
Eyes and ears in the sky
Stefan
Posted on November 16, 2016 at 11:59 pm
How a revolution in satellites drives unique insights about our planet
An alternative to outdated schools
SU
Posted on November 16, 2016 at 5:28 pm
As our educational system struggles to adapt to the rapidly changing world, Altschool is bringing classrooms into the twenty-first century by using technology to offer students a personalized education.
Amazon: Their Most Innovative Drones Weren’t Built to Fly
NathanB
Posted on November 18, 2016 at 7:15 am
Flying drones may be Amazon's splashiest foray into digital transformation through robotics, but the future is already here.
Unlocking accessibility to the stock market, even for the visually impaired
Chanti
Last modified on November 18, 2016 at 6:05 pm
Looking to to democratize access to financial markets, Robinhood has disrupted the online brokerage industry with its cool designed, easy to use and free mobile trading platform.
Starbucks: A Technology Pioneer
SBUX
Last modified on November 18, 2016 at 5:40 pm
Since 1971, Starbucks has been serving customers high-quality coffee with personalized service offered in an upscale yet inviting store atmosphere. During that time, the company has adjusted to changes in consumer lifestyles and behavior by offering single-serve coffee for home [...]
Quirky & Unique, a Peek into the Crowdsourcing Innovation Mob
NovChopin
Last modified on November 16, 2016 at 12:10 am
Looking behind a once-glamorous digital startup.
iSow and iReap – the automation and digitization of farming
Wincent
Last modified on November 18, 2016 at 4:29 pm
The times they are a-changin’ In Interstellar, a futuristic movie, Cooper the farmer tends to driverless automated farming machines that sow, fertilize and harvest crop – all guided by GPS, sensors and drones. Take a look at videos of John [...]
AgEagle Takes Flight: A New Way of Helping Farmers Scope out the Field
JASP
Last modified on November 14, 2016 at 2:31 am
AgEagle is one of the pioneers in the field of Precision Agriculture, where data is being used to improve agricultural output. Take a bird's eye of view of this exciting industry that is poised to improve the way the world [...]
Can Ford truly transform itself from a car manufacturer into a smart mobility company?
OO
Posted on November 18, 2016 at 2:07 pm
Given the high level of disruption in the automobile manufacturing industry, Ford has decided to transform itself into a smart mobility company. However, it is not clear if this transformation is the best move forward strategy for Ford.
Is Barnes & Noble in the Border(s)line?
Dimitris_Papavasileiou
Posted on November 18, 2016 at 5:53 pm
Since 2009, B&N has fallen far behind Amazon in online sales and has been forced to close many physical bookstores. Many company critics have been arguing that B&N’s attempts to embrace innovation have failed and that the firm may soon [...]
From Paintbrush to Pixels
Rob Parson
Posted on November 18, 2016 at 2:39 pm
Masterpieces delivered on-demand!
Why Technology is Causing Your HBS Degree to Depreciate
Tiana
Last modified on November 18, 2016 at 5:59 pm
Will your Harvard Business School degree have any value in 20 years? That is one of many questions that disruptive technology is creating in the education sector. As Massive Open Online Courses (“MOOC”) are offered by more independent organizations and [...]
Kickstarting New Ideas: How Online Crowdfunding is Disrupting Project Finance
Smitha
Posted on November 18, 2016 at 5:57 pm
Crowdfunding platforms like Kickstarter have dramatically changed the face of investing by democratizing project finance.
Many banks’ mistakes are one bank’s opportunity
amals
Last modified on November 18, 2016 at 10:53 pm
Revenue at the 10 largest investment banks in the world is down for the third straight year. Average ROE for these firms stands at 7%, below their cost of capital. Much of this pain stems from their Fixed Income, Currency, [...]
The Sony Pictures Hack: Two Years Later
30293482
Posted on November 17, 2016 at 5:44 pm
Two years later, how are Sony Pictures and the entertainment industry moving forward in the aftermath of the hack?
From Digitilization to a New Energy Landscape
V. Rubeus
Posted on November 18, 2016 at 7:57 am
The digital transformation of the energy industry is creating new pathways for power companies to compensate for stagnating energy sales. Those who use analytics and new technologies to adapt their core business models will lead the transformation. Those who rely [...]
What makes good TV? Apparently the answer is more science than art…
MD
Posted on November 18, 2016 at 3:35 pm
What has historically been the art of the tastemakers in Hollywood is moving to the science of those in Silicon Valley
The “Smart House” is on its way.. or is it?
E
Last modified on November 21, 2016 at 10:53 pm
Is Nest leading the way towards our dream smart home?
Cisco’s IoT transition
MM BF
Last modified on February 21, 2017 at 5:51 pm
Cisco is a tech business primarily known for its networking equipment. Cisco is attempting to reinvent itself as an IoT, cloud and security services vendor.
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