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)

The Sustainability Paradox: How Vale S.A. is Operating in the Heart of the Amazon Rainforest the New World´s Largest Iron Ore Mine
Thiago
Last modified on November 14, 2017 at 11:25 pm
Is it possible to sustainably operate a large-scale iron ore exploitation project without causing significant environmental disturbs in one of the most sensitive biomes on Earth? Vale claims to have found the solution in its new S11D complex with the [...]
Wells Fargo: What Are The Obligations of a Financier?
Moliu
Last modified on November 16, 2017 at 3:41 pm
Wells Fargo claims to be a leader on environmental sustainability among banks, but does it have an obligation to go farther?
Crypto-Coffee: How Starbucks Is Using Technology To Stay Ahead Of The Competition
Elliott
Posted on November 15, 2017 at 8:57 pm
Be honest, how ‘basic’ is your Starbucks order? Whether you ask for a pumpkin spice latte (PSL) or the latest single-origin roast, digital supply chain technologies are making your coffee experience better.
SHAKE SHACK: IS ‘ENLIGHTENED HOSPITALITY’ BECOMING DIGITALIZED?
cheese
Posted on November 15, 2017 at 6:24 pm
Digitalization is exposing that fast-casual chains are becoming too slow. Will Shake Shack’s embrace of digitalization enable it to buck this trend, or are its plans for growth fried?
Samsung, “America First” and the Washing Machine Wars
Zack Foulk
Posted on November 9, 2017 at 9:29 pm
Can Whirlpool, a domestic manufacturer of washing machines, leverage the administration's "America First" trade policies to reverse its deteriorating competitive position relative to Samsung? A recent dispute before the International Trade Commission holds extreme consequences for Samsung's appliance business.
China Goes Green
Tim Pianta
Posted on November 15, 2017 at 4:44 pm
A Chinese state owned enterprise in power production has a government mandate to clean its energy mix following years of air and water pollution, how well is it executing?
A Patient’s Perspective – How Antidote is Digitalizing Clinical Trial Patient Recruitment in the US
Laura E
Last modified on November 15, 2017 at 10:48 pm
80% of clinical trials shut down prematurely due to an inability to recruit sufficient patient numbers. Antidote is empowering patients to find relevant clinical trials, shifting the supply chain of patient enrollment.
The Battle of the Skies is Being Waged on the Ground – The Isolationist Impact on the Fight to Control International Air Traffic
David Aron
Last modified on November 15, 2017 at 8:24 pm
The major US airlines, Delta, American and United, are trying to shut out their Middle Eastern rivals from accessing US markets by appealing to Trump's protectionist agenda. Instead, they should focus on winning the market with a superior product, service [...]
“Limb”-itless Solutions with 3D PrintAbility: An Example of an Additive Manufacturing Breakthrough in the Prosthetic Limb Production Supply Chain
JV
Posted on November 15, 2017 at 12:22 am
NIA Tech's additive manufacturing technology, 3D PrintAbility, is increasing access to prosthetic limbs and other mobility devices in developing countries by disrupting the supply chain of prosthetic limb production.
Right turn only? Car manufacturing in Brexit Britain
RM
Last modified on November 12, 2017 at 10:05 pm
Nissan's produces cars for the European market in the UK, importing many of the components used from suppliers on the continent. New terms of trade driven by Brexit threaten to significantly disrupt this model, increasing costs and operational risk.
The impact of Brexit on pan-European champions: the example of Airbus.
Maud
Last modified on November 15, 2017 at 10:54 pm
Increase in isolationist movements throughout the world questions the model of globally integrated supply chains. Focus on the Brexit and its consequences for Airbus.
Digitization at Boeing: Printed Parts and Just in Time Maintenance
CBrowne
Posted on November 15, 2017 at 7:57 pm
Boeing's use of 3D printing and RFID technology in its production process has allowed for shorter lead times and less complexity in their supply chain.
Nike: Will Investing in New Technologies Help Reverse its Recent Poor Performance?
Kai Tan
Posted on November 14, 2017 at 3:09 pm
Technology is causing tectonic shifts in the sneaker manufacturing industry. In a period of declining sales and earnings, Nike has to transform its supply chain to stay relevant.
Rolls-Royce increases its share of the US$5.3 trillion civil aviation market through digitalisation
StefanZ
Posted on November 15, 2017 at 10:59 pm
Rolls-Royce is the current marker leader in the wide-body aircraft segment. The intense competition in the market results in manufacturers willing to sell their products without profit, but capture significant value from the MRO (maintenance, repair and overhaul) business driven [...]
The Future of Logistics at DHL: 3D Printing to Disrupt
HBS2019
Last modified on November 15, 2017 at 6:39 pm
3D printing is forcing logistics companies, including DHL, to rethink their service offerings.
Smartmatic: the role of blockchain in enabling elections
Erika Idaho Ben
Last modified on November 15, 2017 at 11:00 pm
Can blockchain make democracy more secure and transparent?
LEGO: Building a more sustainable future—brick by brick
Philip Sorensen
Last modified on November 5, 2017 at 9:49 pm
LEGO's supply chain accounts for 90% of the total Co2 emission produced by LEGO bricks– now LEGO is taking action to help suppliers reduce their Co2 footprint
Can Protectionism Save Auto Jobs in the US?
ableet
Last modified on November 15, 2017 at 10:57 pm
Did Ford make the right decision moving production from the US to China?
The Impact of Isolationism on Small US Businesses… Does Protectionism Protect Them?
TOM Student 2017
Posted on November 14, 2017 at 7:53 pm
A small US manufacturer sells 60% of its products to foreign companies. If the US adopts a protectionist trade stance and increases antidumping duties on foreign countries, there's a good chance foreign countries will respond with duties of their own. [...]
Climate Change will change the way we farm and eat!
Tanvi
Posted on November 15, 2017 at 9:46 pm
Food and beverage companies such as Cargill need to mitigate climatic change and adapt to it in order to ensure food security and protect their earnings.
Isolationism’s impact on the global supply and demand of Harvard Business School’s students
Jim Holden
Posted on November 13, 2017 at 4:34 pm
Isolationist policies are reducing business school applications from students outside of the US, and dropping the number of graduates who accept positions abroad. How can Harvard Business School retain its prestige in a world where the greatest business opportunities lie [...]
BMW using augmented reality to sell customized cars
AS
Posted on November 12, 2017 at 7:58 pm
BMW is piloting the use of augmented reality to enable people to see and experience 3D models of their cars.
Ohio’s Big Bet on the Future of Transportation
Justin Thyme
Posted on November 14, 2017 at 8:31 pm
We typically think of governments as bumbling behemoths that are oftentimes more reactive than proactive when it comes to adopting new technologies. Not so in the case of the Buckeye State...
Solar Wars: the Battle for the US Solar Industry
Kyle Teegarden
Posted on November 11, 2017 at 12:53 pm
American solar manufacturers are struggling against Asia-based competitors who have flooded the US market with a glut of low-priced solar panels. How should the federal government respond to the failure of American industry to compete in this global supply chain?
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