RC TOM Challenge 2018

November 13, 2018

Read The Full Prompt

The TOM Challenge provides an opportunity for you to continue exploring organizational learning and innovation through the lens of process improvement and/or product development, the focus of RC TOM’s second module. In this challenge, you will investigate how an organization is grappling with machine learning, additive manufacturing, or open innovation. These megatrends are likely to significantly affect how organizations manage process improvement and product development in the coming years of your career. The TOM Challenge requires you to (1) conduct research and write an essay that examines how one organization is facing a particular aspect of one of these megatrends, and (2) write six comments that share your reflections on some of your section mates’ essays.

Your essay should address four questions in the context of the organization you choose:

  1. Why do you think the megatrend you selected is important to your organization’s management of process improvement and/or product development?
  2. What is the organization’s management doing to address this issue in the short term (the next two years) and the medium term (two to ten years out)?
  3. What other steps do you recommend the organization’s management take to address this issue in the short and medium terms?
  4. In the context of this organization, what are one or two important open questions related to this issue that you are unsure about that merit comments from your classmates?

Your essay should convey facts, analysis, and your recommendations. It should focus on a single organization (e.g., a single company, non-profit organization, or government agency) and a concern related to one megatrend. It is fine if the concern you choose relates to other megatrends that the organization is facing, but that’s not required. Roughly a third of your essay should be dedicated to each of the first three questions, with just a few sentences dedicated to the fourth question. Your essay should be at least 700 words but no more than 800 words, and must conclude with a word count in parentheses (such as 778 words).

When posting your essay to Open Knowledge, be sure to enter “Machine Learning”, “Additive Manufacturing”, or “Isolationism” in the Topics field.

More details on research, sourcing, deadlines, and other matters are provided in the RC TOM Challenge: 2018 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://aiinstitute.hbs.edu/platform-rctom/how-to/.

Submitted (926)

Using Machine Learning to Make Better Decisions in the Wind Power Industry
Andrew Baxter
Posted on November 11, 2018 at 3:52 pm
Can machine learning offer an opportunity to reduce the uncertainty in evaluating wind power projects? What is the future of artificial intelligence in the energy industry?
Artificial Intelligence Could Become Your Surgeon’s Best Friend: Why Should You Care?
Aditya V. Karhade
Last modified on November 15, 2018 at 6:31 pm
Machine learning can improve the quality of surgical care while reducing the cost - how is this possible and what should you expect in the next decade?
Teaching an old Deere new tricks: machine learning product development at John Deere
Violent Delights
Posted on November 12, 2018 at 9:35 pm
Leveraging machine learning to improve crop yields, reduce farmer costs, and grow revenue
BenevolentAI: Can artificial intelligence drive the next generation of drug development?
JP
Last modified on November 13, 2018 at 11:33 pm
BenevolentAI is a UK-based biotechnology company betting on machine learning and artificial intelligence as their competitive advantage at all stages of the drug development process. Will this bet pay off or will BenevolentAI fail to create meaningful innovation in the [...]
IBM Watson for Cybersecurity Takes Center Court at Wimbledon!
iamroot
Posted on November 13, 2018 at 8:00 pm
141-year-old tennis tournament – The Championships, Wimbledon utilizes IBM Watson to protect their brand against increasing risk of cybercrime.
Applying Machine Learning for the Common Good – Is it Always Worthwhile?
S.Finch
Last modified on November 13, 2018 at 2:16 pm
How do we thoughtfully use data to increase efficiency for the greatest amount of people in a sector that has historically and exclusively been driven by human judgement? Where is human oversight non-negotiable?
Future of Flight: Autonomous Aircraft?
Akash
Posted on November 14, 2018 at 10:17 am
How can you reduce the likelihood of mid-air aircraft collisions? Can the solution be a pre-cursor to fully autonomous flight? This article explores the use of machine learning to replace traditional Traffic Collision Avoidance Systems (TCAS).
The Beauty of Crowdsourcing
TOM Student
Posted on November 13, 2018 at 7:59 pm
How Natura brings open innovation to life
LittleBits: Open Innovation Fueled by Open Imagination
ahyans
Last modified on November 13, 2018 at 1:42 pm
LittleBits, the maker of magnetic electronic building blocks, utilizes open innovation to share inventions, troubleshoot problems, generate excitement for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) in schools, and make hardware design accessible to everyone.
Machine Learning in the Video Game Industry
Jeff Bezos
Posted on November 13, 2018 at 5:23 pm
The video game market has grown rapidly in the decade and is now estimated to reach $143.5 billion dollars by 2020.[1] The innovative nature of the industry has driven great advancements in software development, such as ultra-realistic 3D visualizations and [...]
Streaming as an engine for innovation, content creation and improved monetization in the gaming industry.
TomChallenger2018
Posted on November 12, 2018 at 10:59 pm
Far from being a niche form of entertainment, the popularity and reach of streaming has grown rapidly over the past decade. Effectively tapping into this platform will enable gaming publishers (such as Activision Blizzard) to drive further engagement with their [...]
The Limits of Autonomy
publius
Posted on November 12, 2018 at 5:25 pm
Don't hold your breath for autonomous vehicles. They're much farther out than we expect
Fighting Fraud with Machine Learning at American Express
Andy Harris
Posted on November 13, 2018 at 2:22 pm
Global financial institutions spend billions of dollars on credit card fraud. American Express is fighting this fraud through investment in machine learning.
Machine Learning in Drug Discovery
Stacy Tan
Posted on November 11, 2018 at 2:17 pm
Machine learning has the potential to disrupt the drug discovery process, Pfizer has been dipping its toes in the water by collaborating with machine learning service providers, but is it enough?
3D Printed Pasta – Are There Limits to the Benefits of 3D Printing in the Food Sector?
Tom M
Posted on November 13, 2018 at 7:36 pm
While the benefits of 3D printing are gaining traction in industries like automotive parts and medical devices, the use case in the food industry is relatively nascent though companies like Barilla are striving to stay ahead of the curve.
Future X and Open Innovation at Nokia
Commander
Last modified on November 13, 2018 at 9:45 pm
Anticipating the technical revolution around the corner, Nokia took a longer view and made a strategic shift to become a wireless-equipment company. Recognizing limitations in its research, manufacturing, and human capabilities, Nokia invested in open innovation to improve product development. [...]
Don’t Give Up the Ship: A Smarter Approach to Maintenance in the US Navy
Joseph Lillie
Posted on November 13, 2018 at 8:01 am
The US Navy's antiquated maintenance system must evolve into a conditions-based system enhanced by AI.
Data and Machine Learning: The New Grocery Battle Ground
SkyDecktective
Posted on November 13, 2018 at 5:22 pm
Kroger looks to leverage big data and machine learning to win its share of consumer stomachs, and wallets
Crowdsourcing at Adidas – Be The Designer
Fred Perry
Posted on November 12, 2018 at 8:50 pm
Crowdsourcing designs, machine learning, and efficient manufacturing processes have all been a part of Adidas' strategy for the future. With the help of open innovation the company has managed to turn its fortunes around and will be aiming to narrow [...]
Exploring the ethics of machine learning at Facebook – where does it draw the line?
Russell
Last modified on November 13, 2018 at 7:59 pm
Facebook's strengths in machine learning put the company in difficult ethical dilemmas. How far should the company be willing to go, and how does it balance the potential impact it has on society and its users' privacy?
Stanford Health’s Vision of a “Smart Hospital”
Alec Petersen
Last modified on November 13, 2018 at 2:19 pm
Creating smart hospitals using artificial intelligence
Babel Street: The Cacophony of Social Media is the New Newsroom
mrrobot
Posted on November 13, 2018 at 5:55 pm
Natural language processing and sentiment analysis are enabling computers to understand our social media posts. What are the implications for public safety and user privacy?
Risk management on the path to the machine learning prize at Workday
1,2, (or 3?) & me
Last modified on November 13, 2018 at 7:58 pm
While machine learning creates a large opportunity for cloud software-as-a-service provider Workday to build solutions beyond their core enterprise human capital management and financial forecasting software, the prospect of designing and implementing complex algorithms presents significant risks that must be [...]
Techs and the City: Data and Machine Learning in Boston
Paula Álvarez
Posted on November 13, 2018 at 7:57 pm
The City of Boston faces new challenges as it seeks to harness the power of machine learning to improve performance, optimize processes, and explore frontiers in local governance.
1 … 16 17 18 19 20 … 39