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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)

An Algorithm Could Be Your Next Favorite Artist
@realBillyTabrizi
Posted on November 13, 2018 at 5:49 pm
An Algorithm Could Be Your Next Favorite Artist
Healthcare Social Networks: Can Crowdsourcing Patient-Reported Data Improve Outcomes?
PLM
Last modified on November 13, 2018 at 12:31 pm
  In the United States, fifteen new cases of ALS are discovered every day, an estimated 1 million people suffer from multiple sclerosis, and an estimated additional 1 million people suffer from Parkinson’s disease. [1] These are the three main [...]
Can We Live Forever?
Thomas Alexandre
Posted on November 13, 2018 at 3:02 pm
When machine components deteriorate beyond repair, they are replaced. Can 3D bioprinting enable the human body to be maintained like a machine?
Sharing Data to Advance Cancer Care at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
Theo Williamson
Posted on November 13, 2018 at 8:01 am
The trend towards precision oncology and machine learning for cancer care is unmistakeable. In a fast-growing industry, however, it is important to consider the risks and unintended consequences of sharing data.
Project Dreamcatcher: Can Generative Design Accelerate Additive Manufacturing?
vodka4olives
Posted on November 13, 2018 at 5:30 pm
In May 2018, the computer-aided design (CAD) software maker Autodesk announced the alliance with General Motors (GM) to explore the use of generative design and additive manufacturing (AM) in developing future vehicles [1]. Dubbed Project Dreamcatcher, Autodesk’s generative design algorithm [...]
Open Innovation Leads to an Understanding of the Building Blocks of Humanity
HBSstudent0918
Posted on November 12, 2018 at 9:17 pm
Genome sharing through an open information sharing platform presents an unprecedented opportunity for the future precision of medicine and health for the worldwide community
Machine Learning in Airline Loyalty Programs
Paxton Zhou
Last modified on November 13, 2018 at 6:39 pm
Airline loyalty programs (also called Frequent Flyer Programs) have become a new source of high margin income for traditional airline companies. Meanwhile, loyalty programs also generate massive amount of data on customer behaviour as people spend and collect their points. [...]
Sherwin-Williams: A Case Study of Open Innovation
Rupert Thaddeus Mortimer III
Last modified on November 12, 2018 at 6:50 pm
One might not expect a 152-year-old paint company to have an intense focus on open innovation. But Sherwin-Williams, the largest global producer of coatings (i.e. paint products), is doing just that.
Viacom: Transforming Television with Targeted Ads
Margaret Mitchell
Posted on November 12, 2018 at 11:20 am
Can programmatic ads combine the reach of television with the targeting of digital to change the face of TV Advertising?
Spotify: Jammin’ Away with Machine Learning
Eager TOM student
Posted on November 13, 2018 at 6:32 pm
How Spotify uses machine learning to create personalized experience
Is the value proposition of 3-D printing eyewear in inventory management and limited made to order customization, or in fully consumer designed eyewear?
Sara
Posted on November 14, 2018 at 10:28 am
Is the value proposition of 3-D printing eyewear in inventory management and limited made to order customization, or in fully consumer designed eyewear?
Cornershop: how machine learning can improve customer satisfaction and increase accuracy in operations
Andres Perez
Posted on November 12, 2018 at 8:50 pm
Through neural networks Cornershop has improved the accuracy of the estimations of delivery time of products.
Fighting Fake News with AI
Walter Mitty
Last modified on November 14, 2018 at 6:57 pm
We all have seen them: “news”, ads, chain messages. They are scattered with content supposedly selected for us: unreliable news, rumors, malicious texts try to divide communities, cities, nations and the world. Fake news is content created maliciously with the [...]
An Epic use of Machine Learning
C
Posted on November 13, 2018 at 1:49 pm
Moving into the next phase of digitized healthcare, Epic Systems needs to continue to develop, test, and implement its machine learning capabilities.
Open Innovation for League of Legends
Garen
Posted on November 13, 2018 at 7:11 pm
Hundreds of millions of people play and watch League of Legends. Will the game will be sustainably popular (like basketball) or will it follow the path of other electronic games in the past and give away to newer concepts? In [...]
Crowdsourcing snack food trends at PepsiCo
Toby Johnson
Posted on November 13, 2018 at 6:52 pm
Examines how PepsiCo is using open innovation in their Lay's "Do Us a Flavor" competition and ways they can more broadly utilize crowdsourcing to stay competitive in a trend-driven market
Smarter Cities: How Machine Learning can Improve Municipal Services in Chicago
Not Rahm Emanuel
Posted on November 13, 2018 at 5:09 pm
While machine learning is typically discussed in the context of major technology companies, city governments, institutions rarely thought of as innovators have begun to use machine learning to better understand the data they collect and use those insights to improve [...]
Clover Food Lab: The Fast-Food Chain that aims to solve climate change via Open Innovation
Garango92
Last modified on November 13, 2018 at 9:43 pm
Fast-food chain and innovation are two topics that are not often seen together. Ayr Muir, the founder and CEO of Clover Food Lab, hopes to change this. Clover involves feedback at every step of its product and process development with [...]
Running on Netflix: How Machine Learning is Fueling Your Netflix Binge-Watching Problem
Reed Hastings
Posted on November 13, 2018 at 7:27 pm
In an era of decreased attention span, heightened competition and high content creation costs, Netflix is countering churn with innovative machine-learning algorithms which aim to provide subscribers with the most personalized entertainment experience but would this be enough to maintain [...]
Honda: Paving the Way with Additive Manufacturing
anonymous678
Posted on November 12, 2018 at 12:28 pm
Honda is charting a new path with customized 3D printed auto parts. Could this lead to something bigger in the future?
Ford: Using Machine Learning To Humanize Vehicles
E. Peterson
Last modified on November 13, 2018 at 6:44 pm
Imagine a car that understands how you feel in real time and adapts accordingly. It could adjust the cockpit light if it feels that you are sad, or take over the wheel if you are too angry to drive. Is [...]
Are Algorithms the Hiring Managers of the Future?
Catherine Evelyn
Posted on November 13, 2018 at 1:10 pm
In the war for talent, companies are looking for an edge as they recruit new employees. Some innovative firms are combining data and machine learning to streamline their hiring processes and replace the traditional resume screens of days past.
Sorting and securing at scale: machine learning at Dropbox
Kariba Voy
Posted on November 13, 2018 at 1:23 pm
How Dropbox leverages machine learning in its quest to help users maintain focus.
GE: Paving the Way in Medical Technology Using 3D Printing
ght93
Posted on November 11, 2018 at 1:39 pm
General Electric is using 3D printing to lead cutting-edge innovation in the healthcare space and will ultimately bring better, customized medical technologies to market faster and more cost-effectively.
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