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)

Pagani Automobili S.p.A.: Merging Art and Science
Dan Martin
Posted on December 9, 2015 at 5:48 pm
How can an independent, low-volume, uber-premium Auto Company manage to stay profitable for over 20 years?
Chipotle: It’s not the burrito – it’s the operating model
SamLi
Posted on December 9, 2015 at 10:31 pm
Chipotle, the popular Mexican restaurant chain, is a great example of effective alignment between business model and operating model. “It works because of our system,” says the founder Steve Ells [1], and I think he is absolutely right. We can [...]
SpaceX – Lowering the Cost of Access to Space
Jorge
Last modified on December 7, 2015 at 5:19 pm
SpaceX is offering the lowest cost to orbit by turning traditional operations of the space industry upside down
CommonBond, a new kind of student loan
hgrossman
Posted on December 6, 2015 at 11:44 am
Student loan debt is in a need of makeover. CommonBond brings technology to the student loan market to offer lower rates.
Warby Parker: The Unicorn in Hipster Glasses
Julia K
Posted on December 8, 2015 at 11:08 pm
Bringing hip glasses to the masses.
Zara: Fashion at its Fastest
Tobi
Posted on December 9, 2015 at 8:47 pm
Zara: "How can we make clothes that people actually want to wear"
Aldi: no frills grocery shopping
OC
Posted on December 6, 2015 at 4:10 pm
Driving down costs to lower the price of your weekly shop
Action: The incredibly complex endeavor of a simple store
Daniel C
Last modified on December 9, 2015 at 9:53 pm
Action – a discount store that sells everything from food and clothes to paint supplies and decorative glow-in-the-dark ducks – is the darling of the European market. It’s secret? One-off batches. A purposefully disorganized store. And 7 people in procurement.
Whole Foods Market: Adapting to a competitive natural foods grocery store environment
changeme_43
Posted on December 9, 2015 at 3:31 pm
Whole Foods Market (WFM) is a premier natural foods grocery company, also known as “America’s Healthiest Grocery Store”. In addition, Whole Foods has been touted as one of the “100 Best Companies to Work For” by Fortune Magazine and consistently [...]
IKEA: The Many People Retailer
ScottL
Last modified on December 8, 2015 at 10:11 pm
The IKEA vision: "To create a better everyday life for the many people"
New Belgium: Brewing Success
Frank Underwood
Last modified on December 3, 2015 at 5:32 pm
Employee ownership and a strong sense of purpose have fueled New Belgium's rise to the top of the craft beer pyramid, creating highly motivated employees and loyal customers.
Professional Food Critics Beware: Dinner Lab Gives Restaurant Review Power to the Masses
Christy
Last modified on December 7, 2015 at 7:01 am
Dinner Lab is shaking up the culinary industry, offering unique and personalized food experiences to the proliferating foodie population.
Vail Resorts: A Mountain Monopoly
Matthew Durst
Last modified on December 6, 2015 at 9:27 pm
Vail Resort's continued growth has yielded a greater value for both the company and its customers.
InMobi: An Indian Startup with a global ambition
Bipul Sinha
Last modified on December 9, 2015 at 3:18 pm
Learn about how InMobi is disrupting the Mobile Ad Tech industry
GoPro: Hardware Enabled Content for the HERO in All of Us
shsenior
Posted on December 9, 2015 at 4:03 pm
What makes a hardware producer a content media company?
The rebirth of an iconic American manufacturer
BG
Posted on December 9, 2015 at 7:23 pm
From corporate execs to hipsters: How an American fashion icon reinvented itself
TransferWise: Quicker and cheaper foreign exchange
Andy Thomas
Posted on December 9, 2015 at 9:29 pm
By creating a market for people with opposite currency requirements and leveraging an ‘all-digital’ approach, TransferWise is seeking to displace banks and create considerable savings for retail consumers in the foreign exchange market
NYCEDC: An Effective Means to a Worthy End
QFKA
Last modified on December 14, 2015 at 10:27 pm
When Michael R. Bloomberg was sworn in as the 108th Mayor of New York City, he set out not only to revive the city’s economy after the September 11th attack but to transform it in ways not seen in decades. [...]
The Weather Company: Affecting Everyone’s Lives and Making No Money
Shimon Elkabetz
Last modified on December 4, 2015 at 6:44 pm
Weather affects every aspect of our lives and every sector of our economy. So how can the biggest weather company in the world generate only $270m revenues?
Ryanair: „Lower price beats higher price every time”
MS
Last modified on December 6, 2015 at 6:00 pm
Ryanair case - Low-cost philosophy revolutionized airline business in Europe
Citi Bike – Potholes instead of Profits
John M
Posted on December 5, 2015 at 4:43 pm
Citi Bike, the popular NYC bike share system, looks to turn a corner (financially) after a rocky start.
Euro Pool System: reshaping fresh food chain one tray at a time
Aleksis Razmuss
Posted on December 8, 2015 at 9:52 pm
Introduction Most of us are well aware of the three major players in fresh food industry: producers (e.g. Dole), logistics service providers (e.g. US Foods) and supermarkets (e.g. Kroger). However, some often overlooked market participants are key enablers of supply chain [...]
YourMechanic: Uber for Auto Repair
nkorzenko
Last modified on December 9, 2015 at 9:45 pm
The automotive repairs industry is massive but incredibly fragmented. In the US, there are over 250,000 maintenance services and auto repair businesses earning a combined $57B in revenue each year. From a consumer’s perspective, the process of getting your car [...]
Netflix — Winning the Moment of Truth
Garrett
Posted on December 9, 2015 at 6:51 pm
Netflix consistently delivers fresh, compelling, value-creating content to its users with support from its investments in technology and human capital.
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