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 noteFor 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)

Tiffany & Co.: How the jewelry supply chain can impact and be impacted by climate change.
SVT
Last modified on November 30, 2017 at 8:18 pm
Tiffany & Co.: How the jewelry supply chain can impact and be impacted by climate change.
Disney n Chill
Malavi
Posted on November 15, 2017 at 6:16 pm
The Walt Disney Company's plan to build a digital distribution platform for all Disney movies will rival Netflix but may also prove to change how and where we watch the newest movies release coming to a theater near you.
Climate change in your medicine cabinet: How the FDA is working to secure the pharmaceutical supply chain.
Samantha_Halpern
Last modified on November 15, 2017 at 12:22 am
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) takes steps to protect against threats to the pharmaceutical supply chain posed by extreme weather events.
Beauty Inspired by Nature: Can The Body Shop Continue to Deliver?
Syndie Kim
Posted on November 15, 2017 at 10:59 pm
The Body Shop's key ingredient producers are increasingly impacted by climate change. Can The Body Shop adapt its global supply chain to this "new environment" and continue to deliver natural, ethically-sourced products to its customers?
United States Navy: Digitizing Logistics to Maintain Maritime Superiority
Elle W.
Last modified on November 30, 2017 at 6:25 pm
USN forces are increasingly being used in critical global situations while simultaneously operating under the stress of strict Department of Defense (DoD) budgets and growing enemy technological capability. Digitization of the supply chain is imperative for the USN to maintain [...]
Apple: A Thousand Trees
AA
Last modified on November 10, 2017 at 6:34 pm
On average a single iPhone contains 63 grams of mind material, 17% aluminium, 16% stainless steel, and 12% glass [1]. All three materials are mined and extracted from the earth which causes trapped carbon dioxide (CO2) to be released from the [...]
Ferrero: Sweetening the Supply Chain One Chocolate at a Time
KL
Posted on November 15, 2017 at 8:23 pm
Investing in digital technology is allowing Ferrero to better manage its complex procurement process.
Daimler Trucks: Print Spare Parts Today, Print Trucks Tomorrow
Chloe Cao
Last modified on November 15, 2017 at 12:04 am
Daimler Trucks rolled out on-demand 3D-printed spare parts service as a first step towards its long-term ambition to print trucks in the full-scale manufacturing process. What are the benefits and risks of 3D printing?
Ford: Fusion Across Borders
alberto.elizondo
Last modified on November 15, 2017 at 8:38 pm
Ford should continue manufacturing cars in Mexico--despite Trump's insistence to stop--in order to remain cost-competitive and relevant.
Unilever’s climate-proofing strategy
Gayathri Ramkrishnan
Posted on November 14, 2017 at 6:44 pm
Unilever whose supply chain has been significantly impacted by climate change has commendable initiatives lined up to fight the climate change battle.
Transforming Ford: Supplying Mobility in a Digital World
Trevor
Posted on November 15, 2017 at 6:28 pm
Will Ford be a winner in the future of mobility or just produce a 'faster horse'?
Supply chain digitization: From fabric manufacturing to downward dog
lasq
Posted on November 14, 2017 at 6:09 pm
Lululemon, a Canadian athletic apparel retailer, has been focused on improving their supply chain with new technologies and data after inventory issues impacted margin in 2015.
Augmented Reality – a Game Changer in DHL’s Logistics?
R
Last modified on November 12, 2017 at 12:49 pm
From science fiction to real-life industry applications, Augmented Reality harnesses the potential to enrich our real environment by overlaying context specific computer-generated information to our line of sight. Although still in its infancy, could AR eventually empower logistics?
Environmental Policy Reshapes Oil/Gas Industry: Trading Houses are Another Victims of Global Warming
Ray Dalio
Last modified on November 15, 2017 at 8:49 pm
The essay analyzes the impact of strict environmental policy on oil/gas industry and how trading houses became victims under the background of global warming.
Sunrun: Confronting Solar Panel Import Tariffs
Mike
Posted on November 15, 2017 at 7:55 am
How should Sunrun respond to the impending threat of steep tariffs on imported solar panels?
Climate Change – Project Rainforest Alliance of Lipton in 2016
CY
Posted on November 12, 2017 at 10:19 pm
A brand with purpose prevents climate change and contribute to environmental sustainability.
Nio – A Chinese Tesla Disrupting The World’s Supercar Industry
RCTOMS
Posted on November 15, 2017 at 10:08 pm
Can Nio, a three-year old Chinese electric vehicle company, with the help of favorable policies in fighting climate change from the China government, rise to be the next Tesla and disrupt the market?
JD.com: Pioneer of “Last-mile” Autonomous Delivery in China
Maple
Last modified on November 15, 2017 at 6:33 pm
With the recent debut of a driverless robot delivering packages on campus of Renmin University of China, JD.com, China’s second largest e-commerce company has reveiled its ambitions of developing a large autonomous delivery networks in China. Will JD.com be able [...]
GOOGLE GLASS: WEARABLE TECH IN THE WAREHOUSE
Noga Ratner
Last modified on November 13, 2017 at 7:05 am
How Google Glass may transform digital supply chains.
Can Britain’s largest automobile company, Jaguar Land Rover, survive Brexit?
Yash Mandawewala
Last modified on November 15, 2017 at 7:25 pm
British automotive companies will be severely impacted after Brexit. Will the country's largest automotive brand, Jaguar Land Rover, be able to adapt and survive?
Additive Manufacturing: Adding up to a Disruption for UPS
Berit Pearcy
Posted on November 14, 2017 at 5:33 pm
Additive Manufacturing is disrupting the shipping industry's supply chain by cannibalizing a large part of its storage and shipping business as companies begin to print their parts in-house. UPS is doing its best to respond but can it differentiate itself [...]
Escaping to Tasmania
Chardonnay
Posted on November 15, 2017 at 3:38 pm
Climate change's effect on Australian winemakers and their migration to Tasmania to survive.
Value-Based Healthcare: Game-Changer for Medical Suppliers?
SR
Last modified on November 14, 2017 at 7:44 pm
Digitalization and big-data transformations across all channels of delivering healthcare are revolutionizing the medical industry. But, are medical suppliers immune to this change?
L’Oreal’s Quest to Beautify Their Carbon Footprint
Bridget Nyland
Last modified on November 15, 2017 at 6:49 pm
This piece explores L'Oreal's decision to make reducing their impact on climate change a core company value, their current plan as they take a holistic look at sustainability and recommendations for their next steps.
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