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)

God Save the Bean!
Erica Santoni
Posted on November 12, 2017 at 2:23 pm
Climate change is threatening coffee crops to the point that enjoying a cup of coffee could become a luxury in few years. Will major coffee producer Illy be able to save the bean?
Nissan at the Brexit Poker Table
mauaiz
Posted on November 15, 2017 at 9:22 pm
Should Nissan, owner of the largest auto-making plant in the UK, be concerned about Brexit? The post discusses the implications of isolationism and invites debate over Nissan's actions.
A Deere World: Incentivizing Sustainability in Agriculture
bt
Last modified on November 15, 2017 at 8:22 pm
With the agriculture community facing numerous conflicting threats, John Deere is positioned to offer integrated solutions that financially incentivizes environmentally-friendly agricultural practices.
Can the giant Ant replicate its model worldwide?
Zoe
Last modified on November 11, 2017 at 4:53 pm
Is digitalization only disrupting supply chain in traditional manufacturers? It also brought innovative solutions to financial systems in China, changing the supply chain in money.
H&M quenching the thirst of the fashion industry
Paula Vich Serra
Posted on November 14, 2017 at 5:16 pm
It takes up to 10,000 liters of water to make one pair of jeans, the equivalent of flushing your toilet approximately 2,000 times. H&M sold +22USDBn worth of clothes globally last year. How is the company addressing the challenge of [...]
Apps on Apps: Tesco uses digitalization to tackle food waste
TomWriter88
Posted on November 15, 2017 at 6:30 pm
Tesco admitted wasting 30,000 tonnes of food in 2013. Now it is using apps, big data, and analytics to cut down on food waste and redistribute it to people in need.
Digitalization – Shake Shack’s Secret Sauce for Growth
TOM1
Posted on November 15, 2017 at 6:25 pm
Shake Shack is implementing digital technology throughout the supply chain to aid its rapid expansion. What will happen to the long lines in store and the quality of burgers?
The Digitalization of Costco: A Necessity to Compete with Amazon and Walmart
Triston Francis
Last modified on November 15, 2017 at 10:59 pm
In an era where consumers do more of their shopping online, Costco must get more comfortable with digital in order to compete with Amazon and Walmart
Tesla’s War on “King Coal”
David Chen
Posted on November 15, 2017 at 7:27 pm
An introduction to Tesla's vision for and the challenges it faces on the journey towards a solar-powered civilization.
Will climate change dampen Inditex (Zara)´s rapid-fire supply chain?
Swan
Last modified on November 22, 2017 at 4:59 pm
How to manage inditex´s unique supply chain design under climate change?
Arsenal Football Club: The Accidental Victim?
Eric Blair
Posted on November 15, 2017 at 10:58 pm
Can Arsenal Preserve Its Human Capital In The Aftermath of Brexit?
Can an Artificial Intelligence Deliver Real Results?
Eugene Vaios
Posted on November 14, 2017 at 7:42 pm
The digitalization of healthcare has added greater complexity and costs, and Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center believes artificial intelligence may be the solution.
Nigerians Want to Consume More Stuff from Their Own Soil; Can Unilever Make that Happen?
Messi
Last modified on November 15, 2017 at 10:41 pm
Falling oil prices stoked economist protectionist policy in Nigeria. The government had no choice but to ban the importation of 41 items due to dollar scarcity forcing Unilever to re-assess its import-based raw material sourcing model. Will this mark a [...]
A Green Merchant of Death?
Nate Reeve
Posted on November 15, 2017 at 6:31 pm
Long portrayed as a villain, Philip Morris International leads the way on climate change (and gets little credit for it).
Life-Saving Drones: Zipline in East Africa
jmckenna
Posted on November 15, 2017 at 10:13 pm
Zipline is a drone company that partners with governments to enable quick delivery of critical medical supplies in Eastern Africa, saving lives and reducing healthcare costs.
The Race to ROI: Can Adidas’s Speedfactory Make Hyper-Customized Sneakers and a Profit?
Watson Donner
Posted on November 14, 2017 at 7:56 pm
Adidas's Speedfactory holds the promise of "radical, accelerated footwear production, with hyper-flexible, localized, open-source co-creation, and athlete data-driven design." While the goal of "mass customized" sneakers is ambitious, will the investment bear returns or burn out?
Will Artificial Intelligence push CN off the rails?
OKrusel
Last modified on November 15, 2017 at 9:50 pm
AI promises to revolutionize transportation; issuing a death sentence for railway companies like Canadian National.
Will Johnson & Johnson continue to be a climate change champion as it becomes more global?
Peter Johnsno
Last modified on November 15, 2017 at 4:52 pm
Johnson & Johnson has been a leader in climate change advocacy, but will it play champion role as it expands into Africa?
Is ADM Ready to Feed a Warmer World?
Oliver Weisser
Posted on November 13, 2017 at 11:34 pm
If ADM wants to retain its position as a leader in agribusiness it will need to face climate change head-on. Climate change will exert unprecedented stress on its highly complex supply chain and the time to act is now.
Blood Donations in a Digital Age
Pratik Mehta
Posted on November 15, 2017 at 8:55 pm
How should the American Red Cross update its biomedical services in an increasingly digital age?
How can VR & AR technologies affect IKEA’s supply chain?
Anton Zhang
Posted on November 14, 2017 at 11:14 pm
IKEA launched its VR app in 2016 and AR app in 2017. Why does the home goods and furniture company develop VR and AR apps? How can these technologies affect IKEA's supply chain in the future?
A Sobering Situation: Constellation Brands & NAFTA Renegotiations
Jojo
Posted on November 15, 2017 at 4:13 pm
Constellation Brands produces some of the most famous Mexican beers in the world. Its Mexican beer portfolio, comprised of Corona, Pacifico, and Modelo, brings in the lion's share of revenue for the $42.5B market cap business and is produced and [...]
How digitalization is supporting Adidas expand the reach of Fast Fashion
Joana Sa
Posted on November 15, 2017 at 8:13 pm
Adidas strategy to grow is "to be the first fast sports company in the sporting goods industry". The company is digitalizing its entire supply chain - from design to distribution - to achieve this goal. Can Adidas be successful in [...]
The next Google – should iRobot sell you a $0 Roomba?
Amar Parrin
Posted on November 15, 2017 at 7:13 am
Data maps: the next battle in 'smart' homes
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