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)

How Google Can Rebuild Trust in EMEA
Jane Doe
Posted on November 15, 2017 at 4:11 pm
The European Union is pushing back on American-based technological expansion. What can Google do to encourage the region to be more receptive?
Displacing Excel Monkeys: How Facebook is Automating the Forecasting Process
Michael Aft
Posted on November 15, 2017 at 6:18 pm
When people think about global supply chains, Facebook probably isn’t the first company that comes to mind. Facebook, however, operates a complex global supply chain, delivering its products to billions of people and collecting trillions of data points every day. [...]
The End of Consulting as We Know It?
cmclaughlin
Last modified on November 15, 2017 at 11:05 pm
After decades of helping clients pre-empt disruption, could consultants be next? IDEO thinks so, and is facing the challenges posed by digitalization head-on.
Nuclear Digitalization: Westinghouse’s Critical Challenge
Steve Smith
Posted on November 15, 2017 at 9:01 pm
In May 2017, Westinghouse Electric Company (“Westinghouse”) CEO José Gutiérrez told an industry gathering that his company would be exiting its historic bankruptcy proceedings “leaner, stronger and more competitive” [1]. However, with the advent of the digital era in power [...]
Blue Bottle Coffee: Riding the “Third Wave”
TOMFALL2017
Posted on November 15, 2017 at 8:13 pm
Blue Bottle Coffee, backed by Nestle, now has the opportunity, resources, and--arguably--responsibility to walk the talk of environmental sustainability.
A Healthcare Organization’s Planned Parenthood with Digitalization
Francesca
Posted on November 15, 2017 at 12:48 am
Telehealth has changed the notion of how medical care can be delivered. How can an organization like Planned Parenthood compete in this climate and utilize telemedicine to its advantage?
Convoy Poised to Win the Startup Trucking Race
Josh Hoffman-Senn
Last modified on November 15, 2017 at 11:36 pm
Convoy, the digital trucking service that matches shipments with carriers, can win the startup trucking race. But first it must help shippers use fragmented streams of IoT data that will result from truck sharing.
Digitalizing Drug Development
Michael Silvestri
Posted on November 14, 2017 at 1:03 am
Pfizer is using digitalization to increase visibility and efficiency across its supply chain.  But can the pharmaceutical giant capitalize on these benefits quickly enough?
Adidas is clicking “print” on your next pair of shoes
Emily
Posted on November 14, 2017 at 2:53 pm
Want a new pair of personalized kicks by tomorrow? Adidas is sprinting to the printers.
Digitization: Load The Beer
J. McNamara
Posted on November 15, 2017 at 8:17 pm
Why move without beer when you can move with beer?
Printing [War]Toys: Military’s Use of 3-D Printing to Improve Supply Chain
Alvaro Rodriguez
Last modified on November 15, 2017 at 7:22 pm
3-D Printing has the potential to significantly impact the military's supply chain: it can significantly reduce their costs, lead times, and inventory levels. Some even say that as the technology improves, it will disrupt the Military-Industrial complex.
Ensuring sufficient supply of healthcare products in an age of extreme weather
Jon Hu
Posted on November 15, 2017 at 8:54 pm
Drug companies have many tactics as their disposal to minimize supply chain disruptions for critical healthcare products, but should they shoulder all of the costs of doing so?
YouTube Effect: A Whole New Supply Chain – Will TV Thrive or Die?
PJ
Last modified on November 15, 2017 at 10:51 pm
Television ratings are falling [1] and 95% of new television show concepts fail [2], but that’s about to change. Digitization is disrupting the television supply chain - and it’s not only Netflix! Data driven content selection is shifting power to [...]
TEPCO: A quiet emergence of Smart-Grid in Japan (Digitization)
Motoaki
Last modified on November 15, 2017 at 6:04 pm
Japan's leading utility, TEPCO has been quietly installing cutting-edge technologies in its energy grids as the world moves towards the new levels of interconnectedness. This essay looks at the energy grid as a supply chain network, and analyses the impact [...]
Avoiding cancellation, in aviation
Mykola Petrenko
Posted on November 14, 2017 at 11:36 pm
As airlines become more digitally dependent they will become increasingly vulnerable to cyber attacks, forcing companies like Delta airlines to take action and secure its customer information and supply chains.
Under Armour: Chasing Digitization
TOM Challenge #10027
Posted on November 15, 2017 at 10:26 pm
In order to remain competitive with it's larger peers, Under Armour must digitize it's supply chain.
Don’t Cry Over Sour Milk, Fix It
KS
Posted on November 15, 2017 at 10:03 pm
Chobani's hockeystick growth came to a screeching halt as a result of supply chain mismanagement - then an integrated digital supply chain came to the rescue
Duck, Duck, Goose: Why Canada Goose should ensure the shift towards e-commerce on the front-end drives digitalization throughout its supply chain
Bhags
Last modified on November 15, 2017 at 11:01 pm
As Canada Goose has grown exponentially in recent years it has shifted towards a direct-to-consumer model, but is its supply chain stuck in the wholesale era?
Navigating the Risks of “America First” Trade Policy
SAM
Last modified on November 13, 2017 at 9:43 pm
How should multi-national manufacturing companies mitigate risk in an uncertain political climate?
P&G: End-to-end Supply Chain Model
ST
Last modified on November 15, 2017 at 9:40 pm
P&G has established its competitive edge to lead the global supply chain with the concept of end-to-end model. How does the company leverage digital capability to build its supply chain model?
An End to the Walmart Era?
Nam P
Posted on November 14, 2017 at 5:25 pm
  Walmart is the biggest retailer with 10.6% US market share in 2016. With increase in digitalization, consumers are shifting their behavior to online ecommerce as they seek for convenience and low costs. Will Walmart be able to prove that [...]
The Devil Wears Zara: Threat of Climate Change from Fast Fashion is Heating Up
Consuelo Williams
Last modified on November 18, 2017 at 11:19 am
Inditex, the world’s largest fashion retailer, pioneered the fast-fashion business model with its streamlined, agile supply chain operations. But can it disrupt the industry to counteract the hidden costs of its impact on climate change?
General Motors and the 54.5 Miles per Gallon EPA Target
OAL
Last modified on November 15, 2017 at 5:49 pm
GM's efforts to comply with EPA regulations by increasing sales of fuel efficient vehicles.
Danone Russia: 5 years to collect Digitalization fruits
Ted
Last modified on November 15, 2017 at 12:03 am
France-based Danone owns 57,5% of Danone Russia which have only 5 years in very competitive market to prove their potential and convince global company to buy out the remaining stake. Is Digitalization the right tool to efficiently support this transformation?
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