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)

Danone: Operating within the Tragedy of the Commons
EMC
Posted on November 15, 2017 at 9:13 pm
How can Danone increase supply chain sustainability without becoming less profitable than its competitors?
The Cartographer and the Cloud: Isolationism’s Impact on Cloud Computing
TOM2017
Last modified on November 15, 2017 at 8:47 pm
Is the internet truly borderless? Or will digital companies suffer in an era of rising isolationism?
Industry 4.0 in India
Paris
Posted on November 15, 2017 at 10:19 pm
This essay explores the application of industry 4.0 in the automotive industry in India through the lens of one particular factory.
Santa Clara Valley Medical Center: Pioneering Spinal Cord Injury Care With Telemedicine
Alex Lee
Last modified on November 14, 2017 at 10:53 pm
Santa Clara Valley Medical Center’s (SCVMC) Rehabilitation Center is creatively addressing the needs of vulnerable patients living with spinal cord injuries by digitizing healthcare through telemedicine.
Too much opportunity? 3M’s supply chain goes digital
Red Skipper
Posted on November 14, 2017 at 5:05 pm
What happens when digital technologies are introduced to a massive global supply chain? 3M provides one perspective.
Coming to America: Foxconn and “Offshoring” to the US Rust Belt
Danny Clark
Last modified on November 13, 2017 at 8:43 pm
A major Taiwanese manufacturer partners with government officials to bring over 10,000 manufacturing jobs to the American Midwest. But is it built to last?
Could smart supply chain financing have saved Toys R Us from bankruptcy?
Elle
Last modified on November 15, 2017 at 9:35 pm
Exploring the role of financing in enabling a more integrated, digital supply chain.
Walmart and Block Chain: It Takes Two to Mango
Isabelle Roberts
Last modified on November 14, 2017 at 11:37 pm
Walmart is one of the largest retailers in the world with one of the most complex global supply chains. How are they using blockchain to revolutionize their ability to track food and drive value across multiple dimensions?
A Deere World: Incentivizing Sustainability in Agriculture
bt
Last modified on November 15, 2017 at 8:22 pm
With the agriculture community facing numerous conflicting threats, John Deere is positioned to offer integrated solutions that financially incentivizes environmentally-friendly agricultural practices.
Can the United States Coast Guard prevent cyberattacks from sinking our connections to global supply chains?
Tom Wick
Posted on November 15, 2017 at 12:25 am
New threats emerge with the digitalization of the maritime supply chain. Can the United States Coast Guard stop the rising tide of cyberattacks?
Digitalization of Zara and Fast Fashion
Megan
Last modified on November 21, 2017 at 12:49 pm
Over the past five to ten years, the retail industry has changed radically. These changes are clearly seen in the fashion industry, with the advent of e-commerce and fast fashion. While Amazon has transformed the e-commerce space and forced apparel [...]
AI and Predictive Analytics: The Internet of Things at Work in the Trucking Industry
D13
Posted on November 15, 2017 at 7:24 pm
Following a long history of production processes that occurred within plants, the digitalization era is allowing trucking manufacturers to extend their supply chains beyond point of sale.
Mission Impossible: JD’s Same-Day Delivery Promise in China
Mengwen Zhao
Posted on November 12, 2017 at 6:32 pm
How does Chinese biggest B2C E-commerce company realize same-day delivery for 85% of all products in a country with vast territory, millions of product orders per day and serious traffic jam?
HATSUN Agro – Milking the IoT opportunity in Indian Dairy
Nidhi
Posted on November 15, 2017 at 10:57 pm
Over 4 decades, Hatsun Agro, India’s largest private dairy, has succeeded by building an intricate supply chain to the highly scattered Indian market. But as milk prices continue to fall globally, and consumer becomes increasingly demanding, will it be enough?
Can Vertical Farming Keep This Company Around for Another 165 Years?
ThinkVertical
Last modified on November 15, 2017 at 10:47 pm
How vertical farming will change the face of agriculture as we know it, and why agriculture companies should invest now.
Digitalization of Integrated Healthcare Systems’ Supply Chain Management
Ashley Shaw
Posted on November 15, 2017 at 10:32 pm
How digitalization may affect integrated healthcare systems' supply chain management
You’re Not You When You’re Hot – Mars. Inc & Their Mission To Combat Climate Change in a Generation
Mark Twain
Posted on November 15, 2017 at 7:49 pm
As one of the largest global food manufacturers, Mars is serving as a beacon on supply chain adaptation in a world full of crisis.
Changing the Sole of Adidas: Stepping into the Future with a Digital Supply Chain
Dan
Posted on November 14, 2017 at 6:01 pm
Move over, Zara and H&M, there’s a new name in fast-fashion: Adidas. Through bold moves including 3D printed shoes produced in the US and the EU, as well as aggressive changes to its supply chain, Adidas is aiming to become [...]
Chipotle: Balancing Sustainable Ingredients with a Sustainable Supply Chain
GWTrouble7
Posted on November 15, 2017 at 4:22 pm
Chipotle has recently run into trouble balancing sustainable ingredients and its increasingly complicated supply chain. With global warming set to increasingly affect agriculture worldwide, how can Chipotle balance staying on the leading edge of sustainability, while maintaining a functioning supply [...]
Coca-Cola Using Carbonation to Drive a Nation towards Climate Change
Belle
Posted on November 15, 2017 at 6:43 pm
Could The Coca-Cola Company have a first mover advantage on hedging climate change regulation in its strategic approaches to analyze, measure, and reduce its carbon footprint throughout their value chain?
FaceTime Meets Healthcare
Bill Nye
Posted on November 14, 2017 at 6:38 am
Supply chain digitization at Kaiser Permanente, one of the nation’s largest health systems promises to bring healthcare to your fingertips.
Re-inventing the medical device supply chain: How is Philips leveraging digitalization to up the ante?
Sushant
Posted on November 15, 2017 at 9:16 pm
Supply chain advances, through predictive analytics and remote upgrades in medical devices, are enabling the transition to value-based care.
Drugs, Digitized: Merck Leads Pharma’s Delayed Adoption of Supply Chain 4.0
Marissa Dearing
Last modified on November 14, 2017 at 3:12 pm
Forget self-driving cars - Merck looks to create a self-driving supply chain with artificial intelligence calling the shots
Magazine Luiza 4.0: the Brazilian Amazon?
fc
Last modified on November 6, 2017 at 6:03 pm
Magazine Luiza has been thriving in the complex Brazilian market for the past few years with impressive share price performance - can this brick-and-mortar retailer survive Amazon's increasing local presence?
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