Most Recent Assignment

RC TOM Challenge 2018

November 13, 2018

Read The Full Prompt

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/.

Visit this assignment's page to submit

Submitted (926)

Empire State of Minds: Open Innovation in NYC
Cardi V
Last modified on November 13, 2018 at 7:35 pm
The Big Apple is big on open innovation.
Toyota’s Answer to the Self-Driving Era
Pandas
Last modified on November 12, 2018 at 8:35 am
Toyota aims to provide users with two modes of self-driving assistance - chauffeur and guardian. These two concepts complement each other by providing the convenience of automated mobility and the joy of driving. The development concept of self-driving technology by Toyota [...]
The Right Peptides Each Day Keep the Doctor Away: Turning Broad Nutrition into a Targeted Solution
Slater
Last modified on November 13, 2018 at 5:25 pm
Imagine preventing the onset of diabetes, Alzheimer's, or cancer through eating the right foods. Rather than wondering if kale eaten today will truly lead to longevity tomorrow, envision a grocery store shelf that told you exactly which ingredients to eat [...]
Pinterest Needs to Improve Revenue Per User Ahead of IPO
Karen RR
Last modified on November 13, 2018 at 11:51 pm
Pinterest's userbase is growing faster than its publicly-traded peers, but the company lags in revenue per user. I exam their existing machine learning infrastructure and recommend how to use it improve revenue growth ahead of their 2019 IPO.
Man or Machine: Who holds the “stronger suit” in the courtroom?
PM
Last modified on November 13, 2018 at 3:08 pm
Firstly, let me acknowledge that I am no expert in the megatrend of machine learning and therefore writing about an atypical organization might be a bit of a bold move. I shall express my thoughts nonetheless – because of how [...]
Google and Gmail: Machine Learning for Defense, Not Disruption
Victor Castro
Posted on November 13, 2018 at 5:10 pm
How Google is using Machine Learning to keep Gmail (and other core products) ahead of the rest.
How Alibaba leverage machine learning to disrupt retail and create pathway to reimagine online-to-offline shopping experiences
Station18
Last modified on November 13, 2018 at 11:10 pm
Alibaba has leveraged Artificial Intelligence (AI) to disrupt China Retail Industry for the past 19 years. Nevertheless, 81% of retail consumption in China still comes from the offline channel [1]. Realizing the importance of offline presence, the giant online e-commerce [...]
Toutiao: Challenging the “One-Feed-Fits-All” Notion of Information Dissemination
LadyM
Posted on November 13, 2018 at 7:59 pm
A look at how machine learning is changing the way people receive news and other information in China
Slack’s Battle Against Information Overload
Tanay Jaipuria
Posted on November 13, 2018 at 3:42 pm
Slack was supposed to make businesses more productive but instead made information overload worse. Could it use machine learning to fix this information overload problem?
EasyJet: Reducing Delays with Machine Learning
Josep Mele
Posted on November 13, 2018 at 2:48 pm
EasyJet is struggling to keep up its operational performance, and customer satisfaction is decreasing significantly. How can machine learning help?
Bots with a Touch of Humanity
thunderfromdownunder
Last modified on November 13, 2018 at 1:43 pm
What Machine Learning Means to Automation Anywhere... Moving from Robotic to Intelligent Process Automation
Blackrock’s Use of Machine Learning to Deliver Performance
PZ
Posted on November 13, 2018 at 6:35 pm
Blackrock, world's largest asset manager, and use of machine learning
Open Innovation Initiatives in UNHCR Refugee Communities
Eve
Last modified on November 12, 2018 at 11:09 pm
Open innovation, in which companies and organization source information from external sources, helps businesses approach strategic decisions in a creative manner. UNHCR, whose goals are to implement changes external to its organization, would highly benefit from sourcing information and potential [...]
Hinge: A Data Driven Matchmaker
MAO
Posted on November 13, 2018 at 9:45 pm
Tired of swiping right? Hinge is employing machine learning to identify optimal dates for its user.
When Chanel trades sewing machines for 3D printers
Rim Bensouda
Posted on November 13, 2018 at 7:53 pm
Can you imagine a future where you could download a suit design from your favorite brand and immediately print in at home?
As 3D printing drugs in rural hospitals becomes a reality, what are the opportunities and threats for AstraZeneca?
Jewon Jung
Last modified on November 13, 2018 at 6:58 pm
In rural hospitals, critical drugs are often not in stock. Desperate patients and their families are further pushed into prolonged suffering. Feeling they have nothing to lose, some resort to DIY solutions. As additive manufacturing is applied to drug production [...]
FDA in the Age of Machine Learning: Big Data, Big Risks?
Vinay Rathi
Last modified on November 12, 2018 at 9:28 pm
Advances in machine learning and artificial intelligence may now enable patients and providers to detects life-threatening illnesses earlier than ever. But much remains unknown about these rapidly evolving diagnostics. Can the FDA keep up while protecting public health in the [...]
Adidas Futurecraft 4D: One shoe to rule them all?
Will Craig
Posted on November 12, 2018 at 10:18 pm
Can Adidas harness technological advances in 3-D additive manufacturing to build the shoe of the future and overtake Nike as an industry leader?
Made In Space. Literally.
Rearden
Posted on November 14, 2018 at 10:25 am
Additive manufacturing could revolutionize spacecraft construction, and one company is making it happen.
The Power of Patient Data: How Flatiron Is Combining Big Data and Machine Learning to Revolutionize Cancer Care
Scott Briggs
Posted on November 12, 2018 at 7:14 pm
With their machine learning-enabled OncoEMR platform, Flatiron is giving oncologists the power of big data at the point of patient care.
GM and Machine Learning Augmented Design
JHart
Posted on November 12, 2018 at 1:42 pm
AI-driven product development may help GM find an edge in an industry that has increasingly trended towards conformity in the face of uncertainty. Can GM use machine learning to transform from a company hedging its risk by dabbling in everything [...]
Sales=MC2: Salesforce’s Attempt to Democratize Artificial Intelligence
Albert Einstein
Posted on November 14, 2018 at 5:44 pm
Salesforce has been a leader in the pursuit of cutting-edge technologies addressing the digitalization of sales processes. The Company must continue to do so, if it is to maintain its foothold as the #1 provider of customer relationship management (CRM) [...]
At JetBlue, machine learning may help you book your next vacation
William Wallace
Posted on November 13, 2018 at 5:12 pm
In a world of abundant travel possibilities, JetBlue is leveraging machine learning to personalize and simplify the itinerary planning process for customers.
Blue Apron: Can machine learning be effective in an omnichannel company?
GDC
Posted on November 6, 2018 at 12:19 am
The business world is captivated by direct-to-consumer companies because of its fascination with machine learning. However, what if you cannot capitalize on this data and are forced to turn to wholesale channels for scale, therein “diluting” this data that made [...]
1 2 3 4 5 … 39