The TOM Challenge: TOM Winners and Losers Assignment

December 09, 2015

Read The Full Prompt

The basic thesis of the TOM course is that company performance is driven by the alignment between the company’s business model and operating model. As defined in the “Introduction to the RC TOM Course” note, a business model is defined as how the firm creates and captures value, and an operating model refers to the processes that transform a firm’s assets (e.g., capital, labor, intellectual property, equipment, etc.) into valuable actions.

Please identify one organization in the global economy that you think is highly effective (or one that is highly ineffective) at driving alignment between its operating and business models

  1. Did you choose the company as an example of effectiveness or ineffectiveness? Why?
  2. Describe the company’s business and operating models. What is interesting about them?
  3. Do the models align and support each other?  How?  What specific features of the operating model are designed to create and sustain competitive advantage?  What features of the business model leverage unique capabilities of its operating model?  What are the implications for performance?

Submitted (929)

CoCo, a Taiwanese treat with Global mind
Chris Wen
Last modified on December 14, 2015 at 5:57 pm
CoCo, a Taiwanese fresh-made tea brand, has been providing high quality take away beverage including boba tea since 1997 and has grown globally in recent years as well. CoCo’s mission is the relentless pursuit of soothing people with high quality [...]
Monetizing Magic: The Disney Way
Megan Porter
Posted on December 9, 2015 at 5:17 pm
Disney monetizes magic like no other thanks to the alignment of its business and operating models.
Cleveland Clinic: The Medicine We All Need
Nate Maslak
Posted on December 8, 2015 at 2:06 pm
The Cleveland Clinic is doing the impossible in US healthcare, consistently providing world-class quality medical care while lowering costs. Their model will soon affect how you get your care wherever you are.
Tesla Motors – Electrifying the Future
Brandon Reeves
Last modified on December 9, 2015 at 9:32 pm
"Our goal when we created Tesla a decade ago was the same as it is today: to accelerate the advent of sustainable transport by bringing compelling mass market electric cars to market as soon as possible." - Elon Musk
Baxalta: Building Trust with Patients
HBS17
Posted on December 8, 2015 at 9:30 pm
Baxalta is a leading biopharmaceutical company, delivering innovative products to patients around the world in difficult to treat therapeutic areas
thredUP – inspiring a new generation of consumers to think secondhand first
CCC
Posted on December 9, 2015 at 10:25 pm
thredUP is disrupting the $16B secondhand market for apparel and accessories through an innovative online platform with superior operating efficiency
Tabasco: The Original Hot Sauce
Lauren
Last modified on December 9, 2015 at 10:13 pm
Effectively aligning business and operating models: the catalyst for creating and maintaining the Tabasco product and brand.
Save the Children: can NGOs operate efficiently at a global scale?
Ivan Ribeiro
Last modified on December 6, 2015 at 11:55 pm
What are some of the challenges faced by a leading global NGO to further its impact on 50+ million children across the globe?
Athlete. Legend. Warrior. Rockstar. Renegade. SOULCYCLE.
Jenny Kelemen
Last modified on December 9, 2015 at 9:49 pm
How an indoor cycling class in a dark room with scented candles grew into a multi-million dollar phenomenon.
Domino’s India – 30 min or free..creating the market
Apurv Bansal
Last modified on December 9, 2015 at 8:19 pm
Domino’s India is a restaurant chain and international franchisee pizza delivery corporation that offers delivery within 30 min to the customer’s doorstep. Note: Unlike the US, this delivery guarantee is still operational in India. Why the 30 min or free [...]
Method Soap: Bringing Green (and the Rest of the Color Spectrum) to the Masses
Amanda Yang
Posted on December 9, 2015 at 10:54 pm
A pioneer in the rapidly-growing market for environmentally friendly cleaning products.
Can Healthcare Be Accessible, Exceptional, and Low-Cost? A Glimpse at Iora Health
Athakkar
Posted on December 9, 2015 at 10:55 pm
Iora Health paves the way in redesigning primary care delivery.
ThyssenKrupp – How to Win, lose, then Win Again
Gavin
Posted on December 8, 2015 at 7:07 pm
ThyssenKrupp had a long history of success until it didn't. Turning around Germany's biggest steelmaker took drastic restructuring, but looks like it looks like it's paying off.
Clinkle: How to go from a soon-to-be unicorn to complete failure in one year
Patrick MacKenzie
Posted on December 9, 2015 at 5:53 pm
How to go from a soon-to-be unicorn to complete failure in one year
What’s on the menu at Mitsui today?
Megan Wu
Last modified on December 5, 2015 at 11:03 pm
In the middle of Taipei city sits a 2000 sq ft modernized outdoor fish market with clean space, warm lighting, and the freshest seasonal seafood that you can get. Mitsui is a Japanese-style high end restaurant chain that only operates [...]
Rocket Internet – a copycat business model
Markus Maier
Last modified on December 4, 2015 at 6:48 pm
Rocket Internet created a business model of “stealing” business models and combining them with a hyper-effective operating model!
Wherever You Shop, Nordstrom Delivers on Customer Service
Midori
Last modified on December 6, 2015 at 5:38 pm
Nordstrom translates its legendary customer service online to delight the customer through every channel.
Celgene: A Winner in Biopharma
LuisR
Last modified on December 10, 2015 at 12:02 am
Celgene has been one of the dominant biotech players in recent history. Its successful R&D and acquisitions have made the company a contender for the industry's pole position, and its growing commercialization capabilities have effectively utilized its assets to create [...]
“Daifune” – The evolution of a traditional Japanese fishing business to modern times
kwatanabe
Last modified on December 5, 2015 at 5:25 pm
Context Oiso is a town located in Kanagawa Prefecture in Japan, 70km (44mi) outside of Tokyo. It has a population of just over 32,000 people and is known for the first recreational beach in Japan which opened in 1885. While [...]
ADP – Redefining workforce industry
Nishika
Last modified on December 9, 2015 at 12:12 am
The payroll giant has now moved onto broader workforce trends, transforming the HR outsourcing industry forever
SPS Commerce, Inc.: Managing Supply Chain in the Cloud
Alex Sambvani
Last modified on December 9, 2015 at 7:40 pm
SPS Commerce, Inc. offers and end-to-end supply chain management software suite, but more importantly, it creates a community around its customers and facilitates information sharing and communication between them.
Carnival Corporation
Carl Icahn
Posted on December 9, 2015 at 6:21 pm
Big profits on the high seas.
Finding LUV at Southwest Airlines
Scott.Veazey
Posted on December 6, 2015 at 9:19 pm
Southwest Airlines continues to touch the sky in low-cost operations and superior customer service -- proving the ability to sustain competitive advantages in the face of fierce industry competition by effectively aligning its operating and business models.
Pixar Animation Studios: Creative Kaizen
HBSstudent11
Last modified on December 9, 2015 at 9:06 pm
How Pixar's innovative production process ensures creative quality for audiences
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