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)

Penguin-Random House, A Publisher Failing to Adapt to the Digital Age
Andy Rougeot
Posted on December 9, 2015 at 8:09 pm
Penguin-Random House, the publisher of authors as varied as John Grisham, Mindy Kaling and Gloria Steinem, is failing to adapt to the new digital age
NIKE: Inspiring Athletes around the World
D-Shaq
Last modified on December 4, 2015 at 3:01 pm
An examination of how Nike leverages synergies between its business and operating model to dominate the market.
Delta Air Lines
James
Last modified on December 7, 2015 at 4:32 pm
Why Delta Air Lines is the best domestic air line.
Expeditors International – Simply Synchronized
Steven
Posted on December 9, 2015 at 11:30 pm
Company Overview: A third-party logistics provider, Expeditors International of Washington is a global logistics company satisfying the increasingly sophisticated needs of international trade. The Company’s primary services include air and ocean freight transportation and customs brokerage. The Company also provides [...]
Beacon Air: Making Private Jets Accessible for Everyone
FF
Posted on December 9, 2015 at 9:37 pm
Despite what the name and marketing may suggest, Beacon is not an airline. Rather, it is a broker that aims to transform regional travel by offering subscribers unlimited access to mid-size executive private flight and it does it by arranging [...]
De Beers: “From Discovery to Desire”
Mondli
Last modified on December 8, 2015 at 3:47 pm
[Winner] De Beers: How to create a multi-billion dollar industry from the ground up
Helijia- The World’s Largest Roving Nail Salon
ES
Posted on December 9, 2015 at 12:02 am
Helijia, a mobile app that provides on-demand manicure services in China, leverages its business and operating models to expand into the largest platform for on-demand services across industries.
Netflix: Harnessing Human Capital to Evolve
ss246
Posted on December 9, 2015 at 9:32 pm
Netflix creates value for its 57 million “official” subscribers[1] (and several more) by providing “all-you-can-eat” content. Netflix members “can watch as much as they want, anytime, anywhere, on nearly any Internet-connected screen….all without commercials or commitments.”[2] Netflix captures value by [...]
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.
Barry’s Bootcamp: The Hardest and Most Effective Workout in the World
Napat Thavisin
Posted on December 8, 2015 at 9:38 pm
From a boutique West Hollywood fitness class to a global lifestyle brand
Bridj: Bridging the gap between public transit and Uber
So Many Cranberries
Posted on December 5, 2015 at 10:15 pm
Bridj aims to provide a higher-quality work commute for a lower cost than Uber.
Patagonia: Accidental Success Through a Deliberate Mission
Prak Malhotra
Posted on December 8, 2015 at 4:18 pm
“If I had to be a businessman, I was going to do it on my own terms.” – Yvon Chouinard, Let My People Go Surfing
Pomona and the winning model of elite liberal arts colleges
Lacy
Posted on December 9, 2015 at 12:42 pm
A high-touch, high-cost model of higher ed.. but is it sustainable?
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.
The IKEA Concept: Furniture for the Masses
Andie
Posted on December 4, 2015 at 8:20 pm
AKA, How to decorate your apartment on a student budget
Zappos: Best in Class Customer Service
M LaBombard
Last modified on December 8, 2015 at 10:08 pm
Zappos's operating model supports its mission to provide superior customer service.
Primary Care Private Practice
Jason
Posted on December 9, 2015 at 10:10 pm
Primary care fee-for-service business model misaligns with optimal operating model, leading to ineffectiveness and inefficiency.
Sprig: Uber for healthy meals
Arkesh
Last modified on December 9, 2015 at 7:54 pm
How an on-demand start-up executes on its promise of healthy, delicious meals delivered in 15 minutes
Lenovo: for those who do not have a good operating model
MBA_SecJ
Last modified on December 6, 2015 at 1:48 am
Lenovo Brazil created a good business model, but can execute it well?
Everlane: Building a Business on Radical Transparency
Janine
Last modified on December 9, 2015 at 10:41 pm
Will the e-commerce retailer of timeless basics succeed in disrupting the apparel industry with its no-frills luxury ethos and transparent pricing model?
In-N-Out Burger: “Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication”
Jon
Posted on December 8, 2015 at 8:16 pm
What's in In-N-Out's secret sauce?
TOMS – A Probationary Winner
LH
Last modified on December 5, 2015 at 2:54 pm
Is TOMS one-for-one model a social mission winner?
Dunkin’ Brands: The On-the-Go Cup of Joe
Dan Sawyer
Last modified on December 9, 2015 at 10:26 pm
Success in the world of low-cost coffee, even in a sea of frappuccinos
Tesla Lights Fire Under Automobile Industry
Carol Lv
Last modified on December 9, 2015 at 11:30 pm
Tesla Motors fires warning shots at automakers, and they can’t help but pay attention.
1 … 7 8 9 10 11 … 39