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RC TOM Challenge 2018

November 13, 2018

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The TOM Challenge provides an opportunity for you to continue exploring organizational learning and innovation through the lens of process improvement and/or product development, the focus of RC TOM’s second module. In this challenge, you will investigate how an organization is grappling with machine learning, additive manufacturing, or open innovation. These megatrends are likely to significantly affect how organizations manage process improvement and product development in the coming years of your career. The TOM Challenge requires you to (1) conduct research and write an essay that examines how one organization is facing a particular aspect of one of these megatrends, and (2) write six comments that share your reflections on some of your section mates’ essays.

Your essay should address four questions in the context of the organization you choose:

  1. Why do you think the megatrend you selected is important to your organization’s management of process improvement and/or product development?
  2. What is the organization’s management doing to address this issue in the short term (the next two years) and the medium term (two to ten years out)?
  3. What other steps do you recommend the organization’s management take to address this issue in the short and medium terms?
  4. In the context of this organization, what are one or two important open questions related to this issue that you are unsure about that merit comments from your classmates?

Your essay should convey facts, analysis, and your recommendations. It should focus on a single organization (e.g., a single company, non-profit organization, or government agency) and a concern related to one megatrend. It is fine if the concern you choose relates to other megatrends that the organization is facing, but that’s not required. Roughly a third of your essay should be dedicated to each of the first three questions, with just a few sentences dedicated to the fourth question. Your essay should be at least 700 words but no more than 800 words, and must conclude with a word count in parentheses (such as 778 words).

When posting your essay to Open Knowledge, be sure to enter “Machine Learning”, “Additive Manufacturing”, or “Isolationism” in the Topics field.

More details on research, sourcing, deadlines, and other matters are provided in the RC TOM Challenge: 2018 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://aiinstitute.hbs.edu/platform-rctom/how-to/.

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Submitted (926)

Equipping the Revolution: Hardware Wars in the Age of Machine Learning
John Keck
Last modified on November 12, 2018 at 5:11 pm
In the machine learning gold rush, Amazon, Google, and Microsoft are competing for cloud computation dominance. Currently second in the market, Microsoft is poised to gain significant market share through its major investment in FPGAs (field-programmable gate arrays) for advanced, [...]
GENERAL ELECTRIC: HOW CAN A 126-YEAR OLD INCUMBENT NAVIGATE THE FOURTH INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION?
pk
Posted on November 13, 2018 at 8:01 pm
While the rise of machine learning in the consumer space is widely discussed, its uses in mature industrial technologies are lesser-known, yet very important.
Betabrand: Too Much Open Innovation?
Aparna
Last modified on November 13, 2018 at 7:41 pm
Betabrand, the online retailer has bought heavily into open innovation. Could it be too much?
If you can’t avoid the change – lead it. PepsiCo is betting on the wisdom of crowds to build a future of food industry.
Definitely not Fedor
Posted on November 12, 2018 at 3:00 pm
In a search for new products and global trends in food and beverages industry PepsiCo is turning to open innovation
Partners Healthcare and Machine Learning: Building Efficiencies in Diagnostics and Data Interpretation
Kira Seiger
Posted on November 13, 2018 at 7:16 pm
How can hospitals better utilize patient data by applying machine learning technologies to augment diagnosis and clinical decision making? Partners Healthcare has launched the Clinical Center for Data Science to lead the charge.
The Future of Venture Capital: Humans vs. Machines
AEG91
Posted on November 13, 2018 at 1:09 pm
As venture capital firms look to gain a competitive advantage in an increasingly crowded space, GV has turned to a computer algorithm, named "The Machine", to guide investment decision making.
Brooks Running: Personalized Running Shoes for the Mass Market?
astudent
Posted on November 13, 2018 at 7:59 pm
Beginning in 2019, Brooks Running will offer a personalized running shoe made using 3-D technology. But when will we see true mass-market shoes produced through additive manufacturing?
Machine Learning and Radiologists: Friends or Foes?
Tom
Posted on November 13, 2018 at 3:15 pm
Machine learning and artificial intelligence are looming disruptors in the field of radiology. What are leading health systems doing to tackle this issue?
NYC BigApps: Crowdsourcing Civic Innovation
clcorcoran
Posted on November 12, 2018 at 6:56 pm
In 2009, New York City launched the BigApps competition, inviting citizen-hackers to work together to create applications that improve the lives of New Yorkers. BigApps spurred a grass-roots movement for an Open Data law and served as a fecund source [...]
Citizen by Day, Scientist by Night?
I'm Not A Robot
Last modified on November 14, 2018 at 7:00 pm
The scientific discovery process is being disrupted by an open online community, and they want your help. Is this a fad, or the future?
The Future at Nike: 3D printing customized shoes at home
Alexandra Groot
Last modified on November 14, 2018 at 1:03 pm
Assessing the path towards 3D printing your customized Nikes at home
Using Machine Learning to Optimize Hospital Operations
kw
Posted on November 13, 2018 at 3:06 pm
Many healthcare systems grapple with the paradox where assets are over-booked but under-utilized daily. LeanTaaS is a startup that is using machine learning to solve this problem.
3D Hubs – Building a Global 3D Printing Network
HA
Last modified on November 13, 2018 at 4:57 pm
3D Hubs is the world’s largest network of manufacturing services - www.3dhubs.com
From Toys to Your Butt, What’s IKEA going to Print Next?
Znonymous
Posted on November 12, 2018 at 10:36 pm
In a rapid changing retail environment, how is the Swedish retail giant IKEA catching the wave of advanced manufacturing?
Houzz Leverage Deep Learning to Level Up its Game in Online Marketplace
Feifei Li
Last modified on November 13, 2018 at 8:00 pm
Over the past decade, machine learning has profoundly disrupted online ecommerce shopping experience. It enables ecommerce businesses to create a more personalized customer experience by constantly training and refining their consumer datasets, leading to better conversion rates overall. However, for [...]
Revolutionizing personal credit with machine learning
Nazeya
Last modified on November 13, 2018 at 8:04 pm
Avant uses machine learning to open access to credit to thousands shunned by traditional banks
Is it time to say “good bye” to stylists as a profession: Kapsula.com.ua and pickup.fashion develop AI-stylist to dress you up.
EA
Last modified on November 11, 2018 at 12:30 pm
In 2018 Kapsula, online fashion marketplace, in collaboration with pickup.fashion introduced AI-stylist, which helps customers to generate complete looks within seconds depending on weather, color palette preference, and occasion.
Are Killer Robots the Future of Modern Warfare
Major Payne
Last modified on November 12, 2018 at 1:49 pm
As AI and Machine Learning continue to develop, how will this affect the way we fight wars.
Capturing Value Through Machine Learning, Shell Adapts The Era of Low Oil Prices
Oguz Karatay
Last modified on November 13, 2018 at 1:08 pm
Exploring how Shell has leveraged machine learning to adapt the era of low oil prices through predictive maintenance, optimization and safety applications
BMW & The Ultimate Printing Machine: How Additive Manufacturing is Revolutionizing the Auto Assembly Line
Saggitariutt Jefferspin
Posted on November 13, 2018 at 10:35 pm
Additive manufacturing is upending the way auto manufacturers produce vehicles and BMW is leading the revolution
Machine learning and Tencent
SJ
Posted on November 14, 2018 at 10:25 am
Data analytics has changed the world in many ways and it is becoming more important in the digital era. However, with the increased size of data available, human race starts to produce more mistakes and incorporates more biases. Machine learning [...]
Innovation through acquisition at General Mills
Patrick Toller
Posted on November 14, 2018 at 10:25 am
Innovation through acquisition and creation of its own venture capital fund is setting General Mills up for success in the future.
Power to the People: How the City of Boston is driving civic innovation through crowdsourcing
FLOlmsted
Last modified on November 12, 2018 at 10:18 pm
The public can help fill gaps in government capacity and drive newfound productivity - but only if the city has the means to turn data into action.
Do More with Less: Can Machine Learning Help Feed the Growing Population?
TOM.Morrow
Posted on November 13, 2018 at 4:50 pm
How do we feed a growing population in the face of a changing climate and diminishing natural resources, all while protecting our planet? Monsanto thinks it has the answer: machine learning.
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