RC TOM Challenge 2017

November 15, 2017

Read The Full Prompt

The TOM Challenge provides an opportunity for students to learn more about supply chain management by exploring how organizations are grappling with some megatrends: climate change, digitalization, and the growing influence of isolationist political movements on international trade policies.  These 700-800 word essays should address four questions:

  1. Why is (or should) your particular aspect of one of these megatrends be of concern to the management of the organization you have selected?
  2. What is the organization’s management doing to address this concern in the short term (the next two years) and the medium term (3–10 years out)?
  3. What other steps do you recommend the organization’s management take to address this concern in the short and medium terms?
  4. What are one or two important open questions related to this concern in the context of the organization you selected that you are unsure about, which merit comments from your classmates?

When posting your essay to Open Knowledge, be sure to enter “Climate change”, “Digitalization”, or “Isolationism” in the Topics field.

More details on research, sourcing, deadlines, and other matters are provided in the RC TOM Challenge: 2017 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://goo.gl/yyXK2H.

Submitted (924)

Onwards, Upwards: How Delta Air Lines Can Seize Supply Chain Digitalization
Jen
Posted on November 15, 2017 at 10:54 pm
The airline industry is notorious for losing money -- can supply chain digitalization reverse this phenomenon for the long run?
UPS Aims to Deliver Last Mile Efficiencies by Drone
MJP
Posted on November 14, 2017 at 10:46 pm
While much has been made about Amazon’s Prime Air drone delivery program, the world’s largest parcel delivery company is not sitting by idly. A UPS initiative is outfitting its iconic brown trucks with drone systems but technological and regulatory hurdles [...]
Globalization with Apple
Ruby Lak
Posted on November 15, 2017 at 7:15 am
If the cost of manufacturing continues to increase in China as predicted, will it continue to be the best place to manufacture for Apple products?
Chile’s Ministry of Energy: Market-Driven Approaches to Tackling Climate Change
Anonymous
Posted on November 15, 2017 at 7:35 pm
This essay examines how Chile’s Ministry of Energy is successfully subjecting renewable energy projects to market economics and providing a forum for fair competition and innovation by implementing an auction-driven pricing strategy.
Reacting to rising isolationist sentiments with production overseas
Section E - anonymous
Posted on November 15, 2017 at 6:56 pm
As the sixth largest global automaker[1], Hyundai relies on demand overseas for over 80% of its sales[2]. In many of its export countries such as the US, UK, and China, rising isolationist sentiment has the potential to impact trade agreements [...]
Nestle: Greening the Supply Chain
stl_mba19
Posted on November 15, 2017 at 10:59 pm
Nestle has positioned itself as a global leader in combatting climate change. Will consumers buy it?
Information overload: GE’s opportunity for enhanced partnership across the OFSE supply chain
Ann
Last modified on November 14, 2017 at 8:42 pm
As OFSE providers install new automation technologies, they are becoming inundated with more data than they can use – and GE is moving quickly to position itself as their digital partner in supply chain and operations management.
Uncertainty at Infosys
Nihal Sarawgi
Posted on November 13, 2017 at 4:25 pm
Can Indian Technology Services companies weather the storm in this digital age? What can they do to revive growth?
Starbucks: the rise of mobile orders
Sahael
Posted on November 15, 2017 at 10:25 pm
The rise of mobile ordering is a great opportunity for Starbucks if they can harness the potential.
Functionality and Fellowship: Oracle and the Supply Chain Management Software of the Future
PC
Last modified on November 14, 2017 at 4:23 pm
Legacy Supply Chain Management (SCM) software providers try to keep pace and maintain position as new technologies transform the SCM landscape.
YiGuo 易果生鲜: Fresh Produce to Your Door Step
Minghao Li
Posted on November 12, 2017 at 12:05 pm
YiGuo is the first Chinese eCommerce company focused on fresh produce. It owns ExFresh, a specialized cold chain logistics company, to deliver quality produce to Chinese households.
Would your favorite wine still be around in 2050?
hj2189
Last modified on November 12, 2017 at 5:23 pm
How can Jackson Family Wines and other wineries around the world adapt to climate change?
Climate Change and the Fashion Industry – How Patagonia is is Fighting Back
WS
Posted on November 15, 2017 at 5:20 pm
The fashion industry is a major contributor to climate change. Patagonia is slowly but surely taking steps to mitigate the issues and create a more sustainable fashion company.
Rio Tinto: Be Prepared for the Flood
SN
Posted on November 15, 2017 at 4:09 pm
Due to the wide geographic distribution of mining operations, climate change will have complex impacts on the sector. In 2010, 40 mines in Australia were affected by floods, including disruptions in transporting coal from mines to coastal ports for exports.
Autonomous Trucks – Industry Savior or Environmental Threat?
Grant B
Posted on November 15, 2017 at 7:42 pm
JB Hunt has made a half-hearted, regulation-mandated attempt at curbing climate change. With autonomous trucks on the horizon, is it time to get more serious?
Cleaning Up Cobalt: Who Is Responsible?
Tim Burke
Last modified on November 15, 2017 at 4:06 pm
Risky and unethical practices continue to plague the cobalt mines of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Companies are running from the problem - do they have a responsibility to solve it?
Drug Tracking on the Move
kurious_koala
Last modified on November 15, 2017 at 3:48 pm
How government mandated drug traceability is transforming healthcare supply chains
The Doctor Can See You Now: Using Blockchain to Fix Provider Credentialing
MG
Posted on November 13, 2017 at 7:08 pm
The medical practitioner credentialing and enrollment process has much to gain from the utilization of the technology that underpins the Bitcoin market. The State of Illinois and Hashed Health have partnered to explore this.
Mayo Clinic: A Digital Prescription
Phil
Last modified on November 15, 2017 at 11:23 pm
While most hospitals are slow to adopt technology, the Mayo Clinic has made strides to implement digital supply chain tools that have saved costs while improving patient outcomes.
Amazon: A role model for supply chain innovation in the wake of digitalization
Lexie
Last modified on November 15, 2017 at 6:14 pm
Given that Amazon is an e-commerce company focused on fast, friction-less delivery, there are few better ways to examine digitalization and the supply chain than to look at Amazon. According to company executives, Amazon is singularly focused on consumers answering [...]
Adidas: Front-running digitalization in sports retailing
MFXR
Posted on November 15, 2017 at 9:44 pm
As the "fourth industrial revolution" continues to transform traditional manufacturing processes, Adidas' "Speedfactory" aims to lead the automated production of sporting goods.
Disney’s late move to derail Netflix in direct-to-consumer race
Matt Poreda
Last modified on November 30, 2017 at 11:42 pm
Following Netflix's success, over-the-top platforms are mushrooming, winning the battle for viewers attention with traditional media networks. Disney, unparalleled king of content, is finally adjusting its strategy to compete for audiences switching to digital space.
Why is Trump concerned with laundry?
John Smith
Posted on November 13, 2017 at 10:05 pm
Even before November 2016, companies were closely following Donald Trump’s campaign and the promises and threats he was making. What would it mean for global giants that rely on long, distributed supply chains, such as Samsung? After the surprise victory, [...]
Responding to e-commerce disruption: Should medical supplier Owens & Minor fight or embrace Amazon’s threat?
Molly
Last modified on November 15, 2017 at 8:15 pm
Amazon has its eye on the healthcare industry. Medical suppliers, such as Owens & Minor, have the option of embracing and partnering with the e-commerce giant, or fighting back and developing their own marketplace. Owens & Minor seems to have [...]
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