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)

Ghosts in the power machine
FRenergy
Posted on November 15, 2017 at 5:15 pm
Digitizing the electricity supply chain opens opportunities... but also vulnerabilities - how are manufacturers responding?
Nissan after Brexit: Driving Manufacturing out of the UK?
Investor in Brad's Bags
Posted on November 15, 2017 at 7:55 pm
Could isolationist Brexit policy derail the automotive manufacturing industry in the UK? According to leadership at Nissan’s Sunderland plant in Northeast England, supply chain complications stemming from Brexit cast doubt on the future of Nissan’s UK manufacturing operations. Context: The [...]
Unilever: The Problem of Water
Isabelle
Posted on November 15, 2017 at 7:49 pm
Water is the elixir of life. How can one of the world's largest companies help save the world?
McMaster-Carr & 3D Printing: What Happens When Your Product is Digitized
dcook8872
Last modified on November 15, 2017 at 6:30 pm
How should McMaster-Carr, a beloved fastener manufacturer and distributor, react as their core product can be easily printed by their consumers within 5 years time?
How Monsanto Is Weathering Climate Change
TGD
Posted on November 15, 2017 at 5:52 pm
How Monsanto's acquisition of Climate Corp stands to mitigate supply chain risk due to climate change.
The Air War: The Isolationist Danger to Global Aerospace in the Era of the Populist Soundbite
Ben Spacapan
Posted on November 14, 2017 at 3:32 pm
In a protectionist political environment, Boeing must adjust its tactics in civil aviation after Bombardier and Airbus outmaneuvered it by forcing it to choose between opposing American jobs and accepting increased foreign competition.
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?
Cuckoo for Cocoa: One Confectioner’s Push for Sustainability
Choc Talk
Posted on November 15, 2017 at 8:24 pm
As climate change threatens the future supply of cocoa, one company – Mars – looks to fortify its supply chain.
Sustainability at Inditex
YW
Last modified on November 15, 2017 at 6:32 pm
Can sustainability and fast fashion co-inhabit?
Lotte at the Whim and Mercy of Chinese Nationalism
Josh
Last modified on November 15, 2017 at 10:59 pm
Is Lotte, Korea's 5th largest conglomerate, at the whim and mercy of China's rising nationalism? What can a private sector company do when an adversarial political conflict arises?
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.
Getting A Mortgage Without Leaving Your Couch
J K Rowling
Posted on November 15, 2017 at 10:59 pm
Wells Fargo, the US leader in mortgage lending, announced the upcoming launch of its digital mortgage application. But how quickly can Wells develop a full end-to-end digital mortgage origination and servicing experience, and can it fend off digitally-savvy competition?
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 [...]
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.
Land Ho! Howard Hughes Should Keep Watch for Drier Real Estate
DM
Posted on November 15, 2017 at 7:27 pm
Will waterfront properties continue to trade at a premium given the rising frequency of superstorms? How should real estate developers, such as Howard Hughes Corporation, re-think inventory and portfolio allocation?
McLaren and Brexit: Driving towards an uncertain future
David Ortiz
Last modified on November 15, 2017 at 4:31 pm
In light of uncertainty around Brexit, McLaren has decided to double down on manufacturing in the United Kingdom.
Digitalization in the Brazilian Energy Sector: Time for Disruption?
RRE
Posted on November 14, 2017 at 1:01 am
With the forthcoming digital disruption in the Energy Sector, ONS, Brazil's Electric System Operator, faces a critical decision regarding its future operation model.
Reliance on Robots and Automation in the Hospitality Industry: An Oxymoron?
CR
Posted on November 15, 2017 at 12:26 am
From robot concierges to in-room VR to hyper-personalization of rewards, digitization and advanced analytics have huge potential to improve the experience for customers of hospitality companies such as Marriott International. However, is the increased use of advanced analytics at odds [...]
Lettuce Consider Indoor Farming: Plenty’s Plan to Scale the Kale
DaveC
Posted on November 15, 2017 at 10:57 pm
Plenty is using advanced technology for indoor farming to bring fresher produce to urban areas.
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.
The Tip of the Iceberg: Climate Change, Lettuce Shortages, and Tesco’s Efforts to Adapt its Supply Chain
NM
Last modified on November 14, 2017 at 5:14 pm
In the face of global warming and extreme weather, how will Tesco respond to keep Brits supplied with lettuce all year round?
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?
Some Like it Hot: New Startup Can Deliver Your Pizza in 4 Minutes
A123456
Posted on November 15, 2017 at 3:11 pm
How Zume Pizza is disrupting your favorite pizza delivery company
Blockchain for Shipping -Is it Really Revolutionary?-
Toshi
Posted on November 12, 2017 at 3:56 pm
The world largest container shipping company has launched a blockchain project in 2017. Is it really revolutionary or is it just another old transaction system?
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