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)

Dr Lal PathLabs: Achieving scale in Indian diagnostics market
Mohit Mittal
Last modified on December 9, 2015 at 4:25 pm
Learn how a single diagnostic center grew into a chain of 1500 centers serving 12 million patients annually!
Priceline: Outperforming the Online Travel Agency Business Globally
MGrass
Last modified on December 6, 2015 at 3:30 pm
The Priceline Group has consistently outperformed it's competitors in the Online Travel Agency business. So what is Priceline doing well?
AREZZO&CO: Succeeding in fashion retail
Alex F
Posted on December 7, 2015 at 4:35 pm
How a well-designed operational model can deliver superior value in the fashion world
Tomato Jos: Empowering Nigerian Farmers and Producing Food Products Locally
SdZ
Last modified on December 6, 2015 at 7:38 pm
Tomato Jos: Empowering Nigerian Farmers and Producing Food Products Locally
Zara: Fast Growth through Fast Fashion
Lillian Cheng
Posted on November 29, 2015 at 9:31 pm
How Zara has leveraged its operational structure to drive a competitive advantage in fashion retail
From Pinkberry to Crackberry: A success story
Ranime
Last modified on December 9, 2015 at 8:32 pm
Food blogger Rosie O'Neill: "I would get Pinkberry IV'ed into my veins if I could" Leslie Grossman, actress: "The first time you try it, you're like -- 'Eh,' and then you're like, 'Did I eat that whole thing?' And then [...]
Bridge International Academies: Rapidly Scaling Education for Kenya’s Poorest Children
SudipSingh
Last modified on December 7, 2015 at 4:59 pm
How a for-profit social enterprise has managed to provide 118,000 of East Africa's poorest kids an affordable, high-quality education.
B&M: The Secret Source in European Value Retailing
benjaminthomasphillips
Posted on December 7, 2015 at 6:52 pm
Disrupting the UK high street with unreplicable lowest prices and best sourcing.
Bethesda Game Studios: Fun for the Whole Family
sjwarneke
Last modified on December 9, 2015 at 6:59 pm
Bethesda Game Studios produces high quality, in-depth video games that are committed to only two story lines, and uses teams that are as equally committed to each other as the company is to the Fallout and Elder Scrolls series. However, [...]
MasterCard: The Cashless Champion in the Global Payments Industry
Sijh
Last modified on December 8, 2015 at 10:22 pm
“A bag of chips: $3. Frozen yogurt: $2. A grilled Salmon sandwich from Spangler for dinner: $8.75.  An HBS section retreat to Vermont: $200. Performing to Beyonce’s “Single Ladies” during your section retreat: Priceless.  There are some things money can’t [...]
REI – the Outdoor Customer’s Company
lkrone
Posted on December 9, 2015 at 7:42 pm
“We inspire, educate, and outfit for a lifetime of adventure and stewardship” – REI Employee
AutoZone: Bringing Customer Focus to the Wild West of Auto-Parts Retailers
Eric Taylor
Last modified on December 9, 2015 at 11:37 pm
AutoZone: Bringing Customer Focus to the Wild West of Auto-Parts Retailers
Boston Beer Co. – The Founding Father of the Craft Beer Revolution
Ivan Salas Orono
Posted on December 7, 2015 at 5:33 pm
@BostonBeer continues to lead the craft beer revolution by innovating like the small guys and distributing like the big ones
Online bank Simple – not so simple after all
ME
Last modified on December 9, 2015 at 4:04 pm
“Online bank Simple was set for failure since the very beginning, and it belongs to the worst kind of startup failures: those that don’t achieve their ambitious goals by any means, but also manage to mediocrely survive; like nightmares that [...]
Bonobos: Hybridizing the Digital and Physical Shopping Experience
AkeelRangwala
Last modified on December 9, 2015 at 11:30 pm
For many men, the ideal shopping experience is markedly different than what women typically envision. The ecommerce platform, Bonobos, took advantage of this difference to create a business model specifically targeted for the needs of male shoppers. To achieve their [...]
Patagonia: Don’t Buy this Jacket
KylaW
Last modified on December 9, 2015 at 9:52 pm
How tight alignment between its business and operating models has allowed this outdoor clothing company to reap profits while bettering the world.
Stem: Energy Storage-as-a-Service, Delivering Value to Customers and Utilities
Joe
Posted on December 9, 2015 at 8:38 pm
Stem offers energy storage to reduce electricity bills for commercial and industrial customers.
First Solar: sustainability through innovation and vertical integration
Alfonso
Last modified on December 9, 2015 at 5:42 pm
How First Solar, a global leader in the solar photovoltaics industry, is sustaining its competitive position with emphasis on process integration and expansion into countries with sustainable solar energy markets.
Loolia.com : providing authentic advice to Arab women
Eric
Last modified on December 9, 2015 at 11:12 pm
Loolia.com unleashing the potential of influencers to provide authentic advice to Arab women.
#GOFOGO
Erica Son
Last modified on December 9, 2015 at 10:22 pm
Authentic, Differentiated Dining Experience Delivers Long-term Shareholder Value
KiOR – Biofuel Company Burns
RNatesh
Posted on December 7, 2015 at 5:34 pm
KiOR was a spectacular failure in the biofuel space. Where did it all go wrong?
SunEdison: Solar-As-A-Service & The YieldCo Model
Jeff_Bryant
Posted on December 9, 2015 at 3:47 pm
SunEdison, one of America’s largest solar energy companies, has used extensive vertical integration to ensure quality and reduce costs. However, a recent misalignment of strategy and operations have caused investors to flee.
Regional Management: Too Much.. Too Soon..
Kevin McCallister
Last modified on December 9, 2015 at 10:38 pm
Regional Management sacrificed business and operating model continuity for asset growth.
Patagonia: A Focus on a Sustainable Model
MS
Last modified on December 10, 2015 at 6:04 am
How Patagonia has matched its business model with a sustainable and impact-driven operating model
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