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)

Arrow Electronics: High Margin Sales and Decades of Dominance in Electronics and IT Distribution
me & my Arrow
Last modified on December 9, 2015 at 10:41 pm
Arrow Electronics (Arrow) is an example of a company that is effective at driving alignment between operating and business models. Arrow distributes electronic components and provides enterprise computing solutions to customers worldwide. The customers are OEMs and value-added resellers (VAR) [...]
OMyBag: An (un)sustainable business model to support a sustainable brand’s expansion?
Heleen van Poecke
Last modified on December 8, 2015 at 7:44 pm
Designed in Amsterdam and handmade in India OmyBag is not your ordinary bag. This eco-friendly bag brand with a social mission, has successfully expanded its sales to 21 different countries across 121 different cities since its inception in 2010. The [...]
GSK – Keep it simple
Emre Sahin
Last modified on December 8, 2015 at 11:58 pm
GSK – The Big Pharma that decided to keep it simple in an industry that is getting more complicated than ever
Monopoly, Mercenaries and Merchandize – Making of the biggest multi-national corporation ever
Vaibhav Vijoy Singh
Last modified on December 11, 2015 at 5:19 am
Lessons from the once dominant East India Company, for the multi-national businesses of tomorrow
Revolutionizing intercity passenger travel…mega head-ache or mega deal?
Jennifer Hurford
Posted on December 9, 2015 at 11:28 pm
We all have a Megabus story – bus broke down, driver reached maximum working hours half way through the journey and left you stranded at a rest stop (ahem…this happened to me over Thanksgiving) and whats with the elusive $1 [...]
Under Armour
Eight Ball
Posted on December 9, 2015 at 6:33 pm
How did Under Armour enter the sportswear market that was dominated by Nike and Adidas and become a legitimate competitor?
Volkswagen’s Emission Scandal Calls its Operating Model into Question
Carolin_Oldenbuettel
Last modified on December 9, 2015 at 7:30 pm
The recent emission scheme reveals the ineffectiveness of VW’s culture, compliance and governance and highlights the risk of an interwoven, global production network.
Skillshare: The Future Belongs to the Curious
TLiu
Last modified on December 2, 2015 at 11:46 pm
Skillshare is an online learning community that is crowd-sourcing education content in a clever, effective way
Dangote Cement: an African Manufacturing Success Story
Mepossi
Last modified on December 9, 2015 at 10:22 pm
How Dangote Cement got rid of cement imports into Africa.
Jana Care – Revolutionizing Diabetes Diagnosis and Treatment through Accessible Mobile Technology
SonaliBloom
Posted on December 9, 2015 at 11:17 pm
Jana Care is an early stage medical technology company leveraging connected devices to address the global diabetes epidemic.
The Islamic State
Ian C.
Last modified on December 11, 2015 at 3:46 pm
The Disciplined, Well-Organized & Violent Push for the Revival of the Caliphate
Boxed: Love that Bulk!
rvernovskaya
Last modified on December 9, 2015 at 6:06 pm
How a game developer is using technology to deliver groceries and savings to your door.
GS Elevator – From Point A to B with Many Stops
Wall Street Oasis
Posted on December 9, 2015 at 8:21 pm
Introduction Goldman Sachs is a public investment bank with a market capitalization of ~$78bn that has ~ 34,000 employees around the world. The company’s core business is focused on providing clients with advice on their capital markets and strategic decisions. [...]
Amtrak: What Do You Want Me to Be?
Citizen Kane
Last modified on December 8, 2015 at 12:22 am
“It’s not about the profit for these long-distance national network trains,” Mr. Boardman said in an interview. “It’s about connecting our country together and taking care of the people’s needs in those areas that are being flown over.”
BHP Billiton – The Big Australian
Yun Yu
Last modified on April 7, 2021 at 2:06 pm
Fueling the growth of developing economies
Zocdoc – Trust Above All Else
Cary S
Posted on December 9, 2015 at 11:35 pm
Zocdoc: Giving Power to The Patient
Southwest Airlines: A Recovering Innovator
annielindseth
Posted on November 25, 2015 at 5:54 pm
Southwest is an operations leader recovering from on-time performance issues.
Everlane: Radical transparency in a shrouded fashion industry
khaaaan!!
Last modified on December 9, 2015 at 8:41 pm
Beautiful, ethical fashion, at the right price.
Combatant Gentlemen: Farm to…Closet?
Joe_Barron
Last modified on December 9, 2015 at 5:54 pm
Combatant Gentlemen is disrupting everyday menswear one sheep at a time.
Careem – Why is a local startup winning the competition with a global giant like Uber?
Deeps
Last modified on December 13, 2015 at 11:43 am
Careem - Why is it winning the competition in the Middle East with a global giant like Uber?
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.
Panera: Winners in Fast Casual
APSwiecicki
Last modified on December 6, 2015 at 10:20 pm
In an industry where good food is just the cost of doing business, Panera differentiates itself based on customer service and the eating experience.
Kickstarter: Crowdfunding Creative Projects
JulieJ
Last modified on December 7, 2015 at 9:15 pm
Crowdfunding creative projects in the arts through an online platform.
Guidewire Software – Sexy and They Know It
Scott-Niehaus
Posted on December 9, 2015 at 7:15 pm
Introduction Core systems insurance software for the property & casualty (P&C) industry isn’t the first thing that comes to mind when you think of sexy disruptive technologies.  For the 99% of us that fall into that group, let me introduce [...]
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