Competing with Data Challenge

April 09, 2018

Read The Full Prompt

In this module we have examined how data and analytics can be utilized in organizations of all types. For this assignment, please choose a company that uses data in a creative way to drive value creation, capture or operating model and then describe:

  • What does the usage or analysis of data create value for the company? How is it different from its competitors?
  • What does the company capture value from data and analytics? How is it different from its competitors?
  • How did it get to where it is now? What challenges did the company have to overcome? What challenges and opportunities do you anticipate for the company in the future?
  • For companies that failed to grow data-driven business models, what are the root causes for such failures?

Please try to use data and analytics to illustrate your arguments when possible. Create an approximately 500-750 word post at d3.harvard.edu/platform-digit.  Please create appropriate tags for your post. Please also respond to and comment on three other posts before class. Feel free to use graphics, data, videos and links to other sites to corroborate your points.

Submitted (85)

NEXT BIG SOUND | Think Moneyball, But For Music
Juan
Posted on April 8, 2018 at 10:35 pm
There is more science to creating a musician’s career that meets the eye, and Next Big Sound has been cracking the code for the past ten years.
SOFI
Christie
Posted on April 9, 2018 at 5:42 pm
Historically, financial institutions have relied on FICO credit scores to determine whether or not to make loans to individuals. SoFi uses customer data to personalize lending, enabling them to offer lower rates and savings for customers.   SoFi was initially [...]
Kroger: Doubling down on data in the face of hungry competition
HU
Posted on April 9, 2018 at 3:47 pm
Kroger, the world’s third largest retail chain, has become one of the most data-centric organizations in the $600 billion grocery industry.
Ancestry.com
Curtis Christensen
Posted on April 9, 2018 at 5:32 pm
Ancestry.com is combining cutting edge DNA testing with Family Trees to create and unlock value.
Alexa, what should I wear today?
ADW
Posted on April 9, 2018 at 3:41 pm
Amazon is leveraging Alexa to gain a deeper foothold in the apparel space.
“Like” this post if you want a better credit score
JZ
Posted on April 8, 2018 at 6:16 pm
Financial institutions are increasingly turning to nontraditional forms of data to evaluate creditworthiness. Lenddo is one of the start-ups seeking to change the way individuals are evaluated.
The Worldwide Leader in… Forecasting?
Ross Galloway
Posted on April 9, 2018 at 9:52 pm
How ESPN Leveraged Data to Predict its Demise, and Begin its Reinvention
Glow: Where Data Meets Baby-Making
CNH
Last modified on April 9, 2018 at 5:58 pm
You use your phone to hail rides, to order food, to fact-check the outlandish claims your friends make during dinner conversations... can your phone also help you get pregnant?
MedAware – Using AI to eliminate prescription errors
JY
Posted on April 9, 2018 at 5:04 pm
MedAware's machine-learning algorithms mine data gathered from millions of electronic medical records to detect outliers in prescription behavior and flag them in real-time to healthcare providers
How Cable Companies Are Using Data to Compete With Digital
SLA
Last modified on April 9, 2018 at 1:28 pm
Telco's are finally using data to better attract advertisers. But is it enough to stave off the trend of ad dollars moving toward digital platforms?
Big Data — A deal recommended for YOU
Jean Grey
Last modified on April 9, 2018 at 6:25 pm
How is Big Data and Recommendation Engines shaping customers’ preferences and experiences in e-commerce?
LEVI’S & INTEL – RFID PILOT AT LEVI’S
CW
Posted on April 8, 2018 at 1:23 pm
Intel team members designed and implemented radio-frequency identification (RFID) tags, in-store sensors, a gateway system, and cloud-based analytics into an extensible open-source platform in order to deliver near-real time inventory monitoring.
Tala: Using Machine Learning to Provide Access to Credit for the World’s Unbanked
DM
Last modified on April 9, 2018 at 5:59 pm
Tala has been a pioneer in the alternative lending space. Founded by Shivani Siroya, the Santa Monica based company has demonstrated tremendous success in providing credit to people who are unbanked. Tala uses machine learning from a user’s smartphone to [...]
Could the Next Great Screenwriter be A.I.?
NT
Posted on April 9, 2018 at 11:26 am
Probably not anytime soon.
Health Catalyst: Solving Data in Healthcare
Jay Kumar
Last modified on April 9, 2018 at 3:53 pm
Health Catalyst is a rare story of success in the difficult area of cataloguing and translation of healthcare data into actionable insight.
Cogito – AI for a Better Human Customer Service Experience
Al
Posted on April 9, 2018 at 3:29 pm
Cogito uses real-time emotional intelligence software that incorporates AI and machine learning to analyze voice calls and assist call centers to better engage with their customers.
23andMe: Creating too much value from data?
kt
Posted on April 9, 2018 at 2:32 pm
23andMe is one of Silicon Valley’s latest unicorns – now valued at over $1B with over $491M in venture capital investment. While they provide a valuable service to consumers, should we be wary of handing over this immensely personal data?
Data Science and Your Local Utility Company
A.J. Steinlage
Posted on April 9, 2018 at 5:58 pm
Duke Energy, despite being part of “an inherently slow-moving sector,” is among many utility companies reaping the benefits of data science.
Netflix: Disrupting creation with big data
Pumchanut
Posted on April 9, 2018 at 4:30 pm
Netflix was founded back in 1997 with the aim to disrupt video store with a new business model, DVD by mail. Since its inception, Netflix business model has shifted drastically. Today the company is valued at over USD 128 billion [...]
Adobe: Automating Marketing Campaigns
m_watson
Posted on April 9, 2018 at 11:31 am
Adobe is using analytics and artificial intelligence to recommend all elements of marketing campaigns: what content to use, what channels to use and how to time the campaign. Critically though, the AI is dependent on historical data to inform future [...]
#include1billion – Financial Inclusion by Data Analytics
Taka
Last modified on April 8, 2018 at 3:07 pm
Lenddo and EFL are trying to achieve financial inclusion of underbanked population by using alternative scoring model using social media, mobile phone and psychometric data.
Vitalitydrive: Improving your driving
ABC
Posted on April 9, 2018 at 5:30 pm
South African insurance company Discovery reduces claims cost 11% by helping its insurers drive better ... and save up to 50% on fuel in rewards!
Vida Health: Marrying Data with Real Person Guidance
Laura Barnes
Posted on April 9, 2018 at 6:13 pm
Vida health matches your personal data with an in-person expert to give you personalized health advice and coaching.
Data is King
HBS2018
Posted on April 9, 2018 at 5:30 pm
King is a video game development company that specializes in casual mobile games. The company's commitment to data collection and utilization helped it generate roughly $2 billion in 2017 and have kept its most popular game, Candy Crush Saga, as [...]
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